


The False Bride of Sesshōmaru-sama

by Blu (BluBooThalassophile)



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Angst and Humor, Demons, Drama & Romance, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Historical Fantasy, Marriage of Convenience
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:15:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 10
Words: 24,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24351169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BluBooThalassophile/pseuds/Blu
Summary: He was ordered to marry Higurashi-hime by his father. She was commanded to marry him in exchange by her shōgun.
Relationships: Rin/Sesshoumaru (InuYasha)
Comments: 34
Kudos: 163





	1. Prologue

The scent of the perfumed oils she had been forced to bathe in were still clinging to her even as her scalp itched and her sweat rolled down her temple in this summer's heat. There were clouds on the horizon, but they would not bring the rain they needed, or she desired. She desired the rain, she wanted the world to unleash it's pain and weep with her for her situation.

Normally she would've been awed at standing in such finery, but it was a stifling prison. The silks she wore were irritating her, and she wanted to dispose of them. She would happily, gleefully burn the entire outfit if she had it her way, but she could not do that as she waited for the day's proceedings to start. She had been forced to be purified and taught the proper way to serve tea, and what would be expected of her immediately, but it would not ready for the long term.

She stood there trembling in the breeze, her body still ached, and her mind was still fatigued. The silks she was forced to wear were hot, and she wanted to run, but she couldn't. Not only would the uchikake she had been forced to wear not permit it, but the guard escort here would never permit her to run. And running would condemn her brothers and father to death, so she stood here, looking at the greenery of the grass. She wanted to take off her shoes and move over the grass, it looked so soft and inviting.

The shōgun was waiting to present her as if he were her father. She would personally have no part to do with this deceit, but she was here by command of her shōgun.

For the first time in the past few days she truly regretted saving one life, the life she was being exchanged for.

The guard shouted, and she didn't look up hearing the wedding parade coming for her. She trembled a bit and fought her fear back by sheer will, she would do this, she would do this, and her father and brothers would live peaceful lives.

"You do this, and your family is safe," the shōgun whispered in her ear.

"You promise?" she asked.

"You save my daughter, I save your family," he muttered sourly, and she looked at the ground again. She had saved the shōgun's daughter, she had saved Higurashi-hime from drowning a handful of days ago. And now she was the stand in lookalike for Higurashi-hime so the shōgun's daughter did not marry the daiyōkai coming for her hand. No, the hime was too precious for such a fate, she mused bitterly, but the farmer's daughter, blessed with near identical looks as the hime, that daughter was expendable.

There were kami above, and she knew they despised her.

Taking a steadying breath, she lifted her eyes while keeping her head bowed and decided she would look her death in the eye today and smile before she greeted her end. For surely that would be the price of such deceit today.

* * *

He was bored today.

Sesshōmaru was only doing this because his father had ordered it, if he had it his way he would be a monk or something for eternity. He had no interests in building a harem or producing an heir at this point in his life, he was nearly a thousand years old, he would have much time before he had to have a mate or an heir.

However, a human bride, his father had seen value in them exerting claims in the mortal realm, and this particular mortal was one his father desired for her spiritual prowess. She was said to be protector of the Shikon no Tama, which was of great interest to the Inu no Taishō.

Not to Sesshōmaru, but his father had been keen on obtaining the jewel, the union was simple enough to procure, Sesshōmaru had been shocked though when his father had put him in the marriage contract rather than InuYasha or Tōga himself. And because it was his father's orders, he was going to find this Higurashi Kagome and bring her back as his wife. Sesshōmaru figured out he would have a few decades of annoyances with a wife, but he had no grand plans for having a wife in his life. It wouldn't change him or change anything, and when she passed on in a few decades he would continue on as he always had.

The human bride would mean nothing. In the few decades she was to be with him he would accommodate her needs and see to her immediate comforts, but there would be no hanyō pups from him. He was not his father, he was not InuYasha either.

They were coming upon the bridal party, he had not gone with a lot of fanfare for the event of their wedding, having felt it pointless and an immediate short term solution for what was likely to evolve into a long term problem with his father's strategies. Humans did not live long enough to impact their lives, and he wished his father would see this, because marrying Izayoi had not brought the lasting union his father had wanted between the inuyōkai and humans of Setsuna.

Sesshōmaru's nose revolted when he was assaulted with the stench of the humans as he neared.

The bride, his bride, stood beside a male, her face was mostly hidden within the shadows of her veil but he saw her red lips and the delicate curve of her jaw. He was certain she was rather petite, even by a human's standards, barely coming up to his chest.

She smelled rather appealing to him, now that the wind had washed off most the heavy scents that had been encasing her, he was stunned she smelled like the forest and fresh rain and peach blossoms, there was also a vague trace of honey in her scent. It wasn't unpleasant, he found it tolerable. The humans shifted nervously around her, but she had yet to move, remaining utterly still as if she were a mountain, he was a bit impressed. He scented everyone else's fear, but not hers, her scent only held sorrow and trepidation, which was an interesting combination for a human in his presence.

The human procession talked, and he pretended to listen while his own procession talked and then he offered his hand to his bride.

This was the first sign of movement he had seen from the onna other than her breathing, her red lips curved into a delicate, sad smile as she slowly lifted her own hand to his.

He was stunned to feel a calloused hand in his, this was not his bride.

* * *

She smiled sadly at the offered clawed hand, knowing the moment she touched his hand it would all be over, she would be had and he would kill her. But she smiled anyway, he was truly the most stunning of creatures she had ever witnessed. His hair was silver and long, there were magenta slashes on his cheeks and magenta highlighting his brilliant honey colored eyes, with a violet crescent moon on his brow. He wore a heavy fur on his right shoulder and heavy black armor, she had noted his swords immediately and wondered if that was how she was going to die.

Slowly she lifted her own calloused hand to his and placed it in his as she waited for him to cut her down.

"Why are you smiling?" a cold, tempered, icy voice asked.

She chuckled and dared to look at him, and she knew he wasn't fooled as his hand tightened on hers.

At least her death would be beautiful, that was more than most received.

She smiled broadly at him then.


	2. Chapter 1

Sesshōmaru walked the gardens of Tsuzuki Castle in silence beside his father, his father was talking to an adviser. There was some pressure coming from the advisors after InuYasha's last out of control outburst to either execute the hanyō or to find a way to make him a full yōkai. Sesshōmaru did not care about the fate of InuYasha but the fact his father was having him listen to all this prattle with him was starting to annoy him.

They were daiyōkai, too great their blood and power were to risk being diluted, and into beings that could not grow with the yōkai power they would possess.

Not that it mattered to Sesshōmaru, in the near three hundred years of InuYasha's existence he was an insult to Sesshōmaru's life. Tōga did not care about that though, no, Tōga had only cared about seducing the human onna at all costs, damn the consequences and everyone around them. And Tōga, damn him, had decided to seduce the human in a hope to have a second heir.

A secret part of Sesshōmaru, a part of himself which he never acknowledged openly, had loved Izayoi as his father hadn't been able to. He had loved the onna with everything he had, but the bitch had been predictable and gone for the more powerful male and entrapping that male to her. InuYasha should have been his, not Tōga's, and the insult of that had him detesting his little brother so greatly. But still, Sesshōmaru could not allow Izayoi's progeny to simply perish in madness of being unable to tame or grow with his inner yōkai. Though if the opportunity presented itself to him, Sesshōmaru would not hesitate to put his brother down.

"Sesshōmaru," Tōga's voice finally pulled him out of his wandering thoughts. The garden smelt beautifully this year, he was rather enjoying it. It was just before the scent of flowers would be overwhelming an intoxicating and drive his nose mad until the autumn came to kill it all.

"Hai," he asked lowly, looking over to his father. Tōga was a large male, thick in build, with a heavy mokomoko that fell like a cape, the pelt was so massive it dragged on the ground. Tōga had also taken to wearing his hair in a high tail, displaying his yōkai marks, a deep blue, jagged stripe on each cheek below his sun colored eyes.

"I have heard of a jewel that will grant any wish," Tōga started.

"The Shikon no Tama," Sesshōmaru drawled out idly as he reached up for a bird. The bird chirped as he dragged a claw over it carefully.

"Hai, it is in the possession of a shōgun's daughter, Higurashi," he explained.

"The jewel is not the answer," he informed his father withdrawing his hand and slipping it up his sleeve.

"You will do this for your brother," Tōga ordered in a deep voice of an alpha, it barely registered for Sesshōmaru as he glanced at his father.

In recent centuries his father had been holding less and less of a hold on him as the alpha, Sesshōmaru was aware that it was because he was nearly fully grown and traditionally this would be the time he would hunt his own mate down and forge his own pack. His father held a familiar hold over him though, as an alpha and as Sesshōmaru's father, Tōga's sway on him wasn't going to just break, at least not yet.

"And what would you have me do?" Sesshōmaru asked warily.

"You will mate the shōgun's daughter who possesses the jewel and then when the bond is formed you will command her to handover the Shikon no Tama," he stated.

"And if she should refuse?" he asked dryly. He knew that a human was not inclined to mate a daiyōkai, especially not one pure enough to hold the Shikon no Tama. He wasn't fool enough to think that anyone would willingly mate him, he was the creation of nightmares. He was his father's weapon, assassin, he was who his father sent to battle to come back victor, Sesshōmaru wasn't beloved or welcomed, he was a nightmare and monster even by daiyōkai standards.

Even Izayoi had come to be terrified of him before his father had seduced her. Sesshōmaru was not fool enough that this would go over well with humans, not with the reputation he had amassed for his father.

"I would do it myself, but I am the only one strong enough to stand against your brother," Tōga explained. "They will not refuse, the havoc InuYasha's unleashed in the mortal realm is already enough to have humans terrified. They will do this for peace and protection."

Sesshōmaru said nothing to that. His father did not seem to remember that he was the reason humans lived in fear of inuyōkai. They were not the tamed inugami that humans adored, no, a wild inuyōkai was to be feared. Sesshōmaru had spent centuries forging that reputation for his father, while his father had commanded it.

"Offer them a steep bride price, inform them we are expanding into the mortal realm and that the other yōkai are too," Tōga said. "And if they should refuse remind them of who we are," Tōga ordered.

"Hai, my lord," he bowed a little as his inner yōkai submitted to his alpha's orders before he walked away from his father. Sesshōmaru did not like whatever his father was planning but he could not deny his father anything, not yet. One day though, one day soon, he would bring his father to his knees and force his father to watch as he took everything from him.

After all, Tōga had taken everything from him.

* * *

She laughed as she raced through the field of flowers, the children were all stumbling after her, and she giggled as she spun around on them, the kitsune mask in place.

"The oni's going to get you!" she roared, which had the children squealing in laughter as she chased them, she caught the littlest one.

"No! oba-san!" the toddler squealed.

"No!?" she gasped as she stopped and looked at the child. "No!? The oni doesn't take orders from you child!" she chuckled and blew a raspberry in his cheek, her nephew squealed

"But you a kitsune! Not an oni!" one of the kids stated.

"Oh-ho, you know the difference! They're on to me! I will just have to gobble you all up now!" she declared, the kids squealed as they ran, and she chased them. She caught her niece and tickled the girl until she was doubled over with laughter.

"Save my nee-chan!" one of her nephews shouted which had her looking up in time to be barrled over by four children, all jubilant laughter as she lay in the grass.

"Oh, you got me!" she laughed as she pulled a dramatic death play.

"Oba-san, you funny!" her nephew informed her as she lay there limply beneath the child.

"I'm not oba-san," she whispered.

"You oba-san!" the children giggled.

"I'm the terrifying kitsune!" she declared sitting up and hugging the toddler as she blew another raspberry in his tummy.

" ** _SAVE ME!_** " her nephew laughed.

"Get her!" one of the others shouted and she laughed as she collapsed.

"Alright, alright, you win," she laughed as one of her nieces or nephews stole the kitsune mask.

"Found you oba-san!" one of them giggled.

"So, you have," she gasped.

"Rin!" a voice shouted which had her sitting up, catching her brother's son by his ankle before he hit his head.

"Hai!" she called back and looked down the road to see Kohaku with the oxen cart and ox there.

"What are you doing?" he shouted.

"Being rescued from a kitsune mask," she replied.

"We saved oba-san!" her nephew giggled, and she chuckled as she set the toddler down.

"You most certainly did, you should take them home, Nanami," she whispered to her eldest niece.

"Hai!" she giggled snatching up the kitsune mask and pulling it on. "I'm gonna eat you!"

" ** _RUN!_** " her nephews shouted as they grabbed the baby of the group and ran. Rin chuckled watching them run down the hill like a heard of puppies. She waited right until Ken'ichi intercepted the first rolling toddler before she dusted off her summer yukata and walked down to Kohaku.

"What is it?" she chuckled reaching the cart.

"I was heading to the village, I wondered if you or your family needed anything?" he said.

"Oh, if you can get us two extra sacks of rice that would be welcomed, and can you use this to get Nanami a hair ribbon, preferably the yellow one with the orange flowers," she said as she pulled out her stipend and handed it to him. "She'll be seven soon, she might as well have a proper hair ribbon that isn't a hand-me-down," she chuckled.

"Fair enough." Kohaku chuckled. "Oh, Miroku would like it if you could go by the compound and check on my nee-chan today, she was complaining of back pains," he said.

"Hai, I'll go see her, anything I should know?"

"Well she's due soon, so, we were worried," he admitted.

"Hai, I'll just go put minds at ease," she said.

"Arigato," he nodded.

"Hai, hai, not a problem, I'll either see you at the compound or when you come by tomorrow with the rice," she said.

"Hai," he nodded.

"Arigato," she shouted as she walked off. Kohaku waved as he urged the ox to continue on its route.

Rin watched the young merchant ride off as she jogged back up the hill. Over this ridge was her family's farm, they ran a small orchid, having had some luck with the peaches, while mostly planting rice and a few other odds and ends for vegetables. Rin had an impressive and extensive herb garden, as she was the only healer for immediate area. Her nearest neighbor was Miroku, who was a fine young artisan with his carpentry, his wife, Sango, was a seamstress, and her brother, Kohaku, was their delivery boy now. Miroku and Sango had moved to the outskirts of the village when Sango had gotten pregnant, opting they needed more room, and were trying a hand at farming as well. Not that they had had much luck with that endeavor thus far.

Rin walked down towards her father's hut where she resided on their massive farm. Her brothers, all three of them, had separate homes in different areas of the family farms, and her father's farmhouse was rather central. It was unusual, but as people had left the area, the shōgun had been hard pressed to keep the farms going, and Rin's father and brothers were already prosperous farms, so they had sort of accumulated three other farms in their own. Which had worked wonderfully as Ken'ichi was married with three children of his own, Yasu was married and supported his in-laws with two sons of his own, and Tomomi was recently married. Rin arrived home to see her father sipping tea.

"How's your back?" she asked.

"Settling now that planting season's over," he replied.

"Good, you keep drinking the tea and it'll help with your joints," she said knowingly.

"What are you doing?" her father asked.

"I'm collecting supplies for a visit to Kazaana family," she said. "Kohaku said Sango was having back pains," Rin explained.

"Be safe," he ordered.

"Hai chichi-ue, you rest, leave the hard work to Tomomi or Ken'ichi," she chuckled as she finished collecting what she would possibly need for either false labor pains or real labor. Sango was due soon, and as this was her first pregnancy Rin wouldn't slip it past the child to be coming early. Walking out of her home she enjoyed this beautiful summer's day.

* * *

Higurashi Kagome lived in a beautiful palace, with a doting father, a nosey half-brother, an older half-sister, and a doting set of mothers from her father's concubines. There was promise for her union to the Hōjō family to their heir, Hōjō Nagatoki, which she loved the prospect of. Hōjō wrote her the most beautiful poetry, he gave her the most stunning of silks and gifts, and the most bewitching beautiful hairpins.

She was utterly besotted with Hōjō-sama, he was so sweet and gentle, she could think of no finer man to join union for. And her father knew that it would be a doubly prosperous union in comparison to Kikyō's own union.

Her twin had been lucky enough to bewitch Onigumo Naraku into marriage, and they were so disgustingly happy together that they were no finer pair. Kagome wanted that, wanted to be that happy with a partner, she needed that, which was why she was very hopeful Hōjō would propose to her very soon. She wanted that so badly she could almost taste it.

Hōjō and she were a good match, now she just had to wait for the match to be finalized.

Kagome had done everything she could to appeal to Hōjō as a wife, she was courteous, tidy, self-reliant, and witty, she had proven her worth with her art and singing, and she was good at managing her home and property. She was not unattractive either, and she was rather pleased to say she had proven herself to be a benevolent landowner to the people who rented from her family. She knew her people and she was a wonderful cook, any man who said different would experience her wrath, she unlike Kikyō could actually cook!

Yes, she was certain she would be able to ensnare Hōjō in seeing her as a wonderful wife.

Kagome chuckled as she examined the other prize which put her ahead of the other women of the world, the Shikon no Tama, pure, and bright, shining in her beautiful soul. Yes, she had done this, she knew it, and they knew it. She had purified what no miko or monk could purify and it was beautiful. It was a sign that she was surely the best woman in all of Japan.

No one else had been able to do this!

* * *

Dawn was breaking when Rin finished at the Kazaana house, it had been a grueling night for her and Sango. The poor woman had gone into labor then been stalled for most of the night before this morning it had accelerated so swiftly, she had birthed one child and sneezed the other right into Rin's unsuspecting hands. Now it was time for her to finish cleaning mother and children, greet the father and go home.

"Dōmo arigatōgozaimasu," Sango whispered.

"Of course, I'm glad you have two healthy, happy daughters," Rin said as she stood on tired legs.

"I couldn't… I couldn't have done this without you," Sango said tearing her eyes away from her children.

"You could've," she promised the other woman. "I will go get Miroku, no doubt he's worried about you."

"Probably anxious with all the cursing I did," Sango said.

"Probably," Rin agreed with a chuckle. Finishing washing her hands of the birth and blood she checked over Sango one last time before standing to go get Miroku.

"You'll be back, right?" Sango asked as Rin started to leave.

"Of course, I'll be back every day to check on you and the girls," she promised.

"Arigato," Sango smiled as she looked back at her daughters.

Rin nodded as she left. Sure enough Miroku was sitting anxiously awaiting her.

"She's healthy and fine, you should go in and see them," Rin encouraged.

"Arigato!" he gasped as he ran into the room. She shut the shoji behind him before humming and walking through the home to leave. She was surprised to see Kohaku there waiting for her.

"How is she?"

"She is fine, two healthy daughters," Rin explained.

"I'm glad," he smiled. "Let me take you home," he offered.

"I…"

"Please, Rin, you look exhausted, I'd rather you not collapse in a field on the way home," he explained.

"Arigato," she yawned as she let him prepare the oxen cart before she climbed on and they drove towards her family's farm.

"The Tanabata Festival is in a few days."

"Hai, it is," she agreed.

"Are you going with anyone?"

"I suppose I would be watching the children," she chuckled. The Tanabata Festival was a large deal for her family as it was the festival she was born on, and it was a joyous affair for her family amidst summer.

"Would you like to go with me?" he asked.

Now she frowned as she turned to glare levelly at her friend. No one had ever courted her for her, it was for things she could do for them, healing, status, beauty, or even cooking, and she was certain Kohaku was no exception. Kohaku was known to be a bit of a serial courter amongst the village girls, and though he was a dear friend of hers, he was not one she could see as a husband. Furthermore, she did not think he wanted her, she was relatively certain he just wanted to be between her legs before finding the next beautiful onna to catch his fancy. She was certain she was a bit of sport for Kohaku if she were to permit him to pursue her. Rin had not permitted herself to be courted by anyone because of how one sided it felt, while the men seemed besotted with what she could do for them, no one ever seemed besotted with her. Especially after Yūta's death.

She had never dwelt upon her one ill-fated romance, she was certain she and Yūta had been too young to understand the hardship of genuinely loving someone, and she didn't think that the innocence of that love would've lasted. But she did think she and Yūta would've been a good match. Yūta had been patient, courageous, kind, and funny; so funny, he couldn't take anything in life seriously, he was warm and full of life. She was certain that as Yūta would've aged, he'd would've been a jovial man, and a boisterous spirit, something she would love. Rin herself was not a loud or jovial soul. She was quieter by nature, simple, and while she loved life and would laugh with glee and dance with the children, she wasn't boisterous or loud.

Yūta had been filled to the brim with life, and untampered joy for living. Something she had quietly appreciated, because he let her laugh, he made her smile, and kami knew that living was hard, but he made it fun! Yes, Yūta and she would've been a good match, Yūta had loved that she wanted to learn healing, and he himself had wanted to be nothing more than a farmer, her father had adored Yūta. To be completely honest Rin was certain that her father and brothers felt more sorrow when they learn Yūta had died in battle than she had. She was saddened, but her family had been utterly devastated.

"You are courting Serina," she stated firmly.

"I think you and I both know that it's…"

"You're a dear friend, Kohaku," she interrupted. "Don't ruin our friendship."


	3. Chapter 2

It had not taken him long to find the Higurashi army, it had not taken him long to even tear them apart. All it had taken was a few well-placed strikes and he was left standing in the carnage of a hundred strong army. The sole survivor was scrambling away from him, desperate to escape and that was when Sesshōmaru slowly started towards the human.

The bodies were strewn about, their limbs splayed, their blood painted the ground and their putrid scent wafted through the air.

Every move he made was slow and deliberate as he walked across the carnage for the sole survivor.

The human was scrambling back, making terrified sounds which were a bit of an excitement to his inner yōkai, though he was disappointed in the battle. If such an elegant display of carnage could be thought of as battle. Eventually he found himself before the human and caught his throat when the human gained the courage to use the naginata in his hand.

"You are to deliver this to Higurashi-tono," he stated icily as he produced the scroll he had been instructed to send to the humans. "Do you understand?" he hissed glaring at the human.

"H-H-Hai," the human stammered. Handing the scroll to the human he dropped the man and walked for the forest. What a pitiful waste of a day, he would rather have been doing anything else than playing messenger for his father. However, like a dutiful son he had fulfilled the orders, and now he was free for the rest of his day.

Now alone he looked back at the carnage before light enveloped him and he whisked himself away from the battlefield. It had been a while since he had been in the mortal realm and he was curious what, if any, changes these mortals had thought of.

* * *

Rin was working quietly on her herbal remedies, making salves and ointments today, which left her little workspace heavy with the scent of herbs, and honey. She had tried to mask some of the less appealing scents with honey, or peaches; she had found both scents to be better for masking some of the more pungent smells than flowery scents. Though she did like utilizing sakura blossoms for soaps for the village women. Right at this moment though she had no scents to mask the salves or ointments because she was busy making them at this moment. It wasn't easy work, and she was finding the heat of summer was getting to her. But the moment the Tanabata Festival was upon them she would have no time to work.

"Oba-san!" a voice shouted, and she set aside her work as she started wiping her hands and leaving her work hut.

"Hai?" she called in response wiping her brow to see her niece standing there with a bedraggled traveler there behind her. The onna looked beaten and bruised and in dire need of care, and a bath.

"Rin," her brother, Ken'ichi greeted holding his daughter up in his arms. Nanami smiled at her.

"Can I help you?" she asked as she continued cleaning her hands and drying them on her apron.

"She's the local healer," her brother said.

"Arigato," the mystery onna gasped before her brother waved her off and started walking away then.

"Can I help you?" Rin repeated as she neared the onna.

"Not me, but… my daughter," she started then stopped.

"Whatever it is I will try to help," Rin assured the woman.

"My daughter, she's… hanyō," the onna whispered. "Please! I beg you!" the onna dropped to her knees as her brow pressed into the dirt. "Please! She needs help!"

"Get up this minute," Rin hissed as she started helping the onna to sit onto her knees, as the onna was sobbing now. "I help hanyō," she stated firmly. "Let me grab some supplies then we'll go to your daughter," Rin said as she stood.

The onna was now sobbing hysterically as if in relief and terror, Rin was up though and grabbing every salve and ointment and medicine ball she could think to pack, along with needles, threads, and even a small knife that the smith had reluctantly forged for her so she could cut open some wounds to better heal them. Once she was packed Rin was out, her hair braided over her shoulder before she helped the other onna to her feet.

"Where is your daughter?" she demanded.

"This way," the onna gasped which had Rin hurrying after the onna through the fields and into the forest, they wound their way through the trees before they came to an abandoned hut. Rin hurried after the onna into the ramshackle building, not thinking about if the place would collapse on them with one good gust of wind as she looked around. The little girl was laid out on tattered blankets and obviously feverish.

"Good Kami," Rin muttered as she wound her way over to the girl.

The hanyō had bronzed skin, violet eyes, and hair as white as snow, she was rather beautiful, and very weak.

"What is her name?" Rin asked putting her pack of supplies aside to start her examination of the child.

"Shiori," the onna answered.

"And what is her father?" Rin asked.

"What does that have to do with anything?" the onna demanded sharply.

"Some herbs don't help certain animals, same with yōkai bases for hanyō," Rin explained as she listened to the girl's heart, it was beating steady, but weak, her breathing was difficult, and she felt unreasonably hot for a hanyō.

"Hyakkikoumori," the onna whispered.

"I see, I'll be careful," Rin promised as she undid the tattered clothes and saw the source of the little girl's problems. The infected wound was red and puss, it was bitter in scent and good Kami what had they tried to do to this little girl.

Rin worked swiftly; happy she had grabbed the bottle of sake as she started there. The onna moved her daughter's head into her lap as Rin worked.

* * *

"And when did you receive this?" the shōgun whispered as he stared at the Shikoku InuYōkai Clan's ultimatum.

"Yesterday, my lord," the messenger trembled.

"Leave, now," he ordered and once alone stood there trembling.

The message was clear, his daughter or the world would be razed where they stood. If the yōkai were coming to the mortal realm, he had no choice but to submit, no one would be able to stand against the feared Inu no Taishō or his pup.

No one could tame such wildness or their savagery.

* * *

Rin finished her care of the little hanyō, who's breathing had deepened since Rin had drained the wound of puss and infection and was now gently sewing it up. The little girl hadn't woken up once, her mother was standing fretfully to the side watching Rin like a hawk.

"Would you mind telling me what happened?" Rin asked as she carefully did her finest stitches so the little girl wasn't horribly scarred for the rest of her life.

"We… we fled our village a moon cycle ago, and the people were relentless, and we never slowed or looked back," the mother said.

"I see," Rin hummed as she finished knotting the stitches before cutting the thread.

"I…"

"I do understand, however, Shiori can't keep running," Rin said softly as she cleaned off her hands with the water the mother had retrieved, before she dried them and started dressing the wound. "I'm going to ask you stay with my father and I for the time being," Rin informed the mother.

Now the mother tensed and looked around wildly.

"Is her father coming?"

"Her father did not do this to us!" the mother hissed.

"No, I wouldn't think so," Rin admitted. "Yōkai, despite being more animal like, are not unnecessarily cruel to their young, if they're like their true form animals then they are more inclined to protect their young. Only humans display this sort of deprived savagery."

"Then what do you care about her father?" the mother asked relaxing a little.

"I ask because he'll probably be coming for you, and Shiori," Rin stated. "And it would be better, for you and Shiori as well as him, if you are in one place. It makes it easier to hunt you two down for him," she offered.

"You… you do not assume that he's going to harm us?" the mother whispered in disbelief.

"Why would I?"

"Everyone's hated her for being a hanyō, for me being with a yōkai…" the onna murmured. "And those with sympathy said it just caused more trouble, and I do not want trouble brought to your doorstep…"

"If anyone has a problem with your daughter being a hanyō they will have to deal with me," Rin stated firmly. No one in the immediate area would stand against her, she was the local healer and respected for that ability. She was also revered in her own quiet way, but Rin wouldn't turn anyone in need of aid away, it wasn't in her nature. Her family was more than accustomed to this nature of hers. "Whatever trouble that comes my way I will handle, but I will not see an onna with an ill daughter; hanyō or not; left to starve because of events no one has the right to judge."

"You know, he loved me," the mother whispered.

"Nani?"

"How do you know he loved me?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't follow," Rin admitted.

"Shiori's father, he loved me, how did you know?" she asked.

"Well, yōkai are living creatures, and even if they are not like us and more akin to an animal they love, animals love with pure intent," Rin said. "It is not a stretch to think a yōkai could love a human or a human love a yōkai in return."

"Not everyone would agree with you," she smiled bitterly.

"It is not for me to judge, you are here now, and need help so I will lend my aid as best as I can."

"Arigato," the onna smiled.

"Whatever love was between you and Shiori's father resulted in Shiori and is she not a blessing?" Rin asked.

"Hai," she smiled. "I must inform you that when the time comes, he will come for us."

"That is fine, you can remain with us until then," Rin said levelly. "Now, let us get your daughter to my home where she can rest properly," Rin said.

"I'm Shizu," the onna said.

"I am pleased to know you Shizu," Rin smiled as she carefully gathered up Shiori and handed her off to her mother, so the dressings weren't messed up. Once that was done, she was gathering up her supplies before walking out of the ramshackle hut. Rin also pulled a spare clothe and wrapped it around Shiori's hair before they darted out into the woods. Rin did not think about the demented evil required to harm a child, any child, of any species.

It did not take long to settle mother and daughter in her father's home, though her father was a bit unsettled at her actions, he was outraged on Shiori's behalf for human's harming the little girl and informed Shizu they could stay as long as they desired so long as they did not cause trouble. Her father's definition of trouble was setting fire to the fields and theft or poisoning the animals, if there was trouble from the local villagers he'd handle it.

With that in effect Rin lounged on the front steps of her home with her father, both of them sipping tea while mother and child rested in their home.

"Your mother would be very proud of you," her father said after a while.

"I hope I've made her and you proud," she admitted looking at her tea.

"You could do no batter in my mind," he promised firmly.

"And if I were like Shizu and bore a hanyō, would you still be proud of me?" she asked.

"You always did bring home strays, and loved them fully, I could not be anything but proud of you for following your caring nature," he promised.

* * *

Kagome gaped at her father and the ultimatum; the ultimatum sent from a daiyōkai no less.

"I refuse!" she shouted.

"There is nothing to refuse," her father stated as he turned to her. "We could not stand against him even if we should have a thousand strong!"

"But… what of Hōjō?" she sputtered. She would marry Hōjō, he was everything she wanted in a husband, she would not be pulled into this ploy a yōkai had set up to obtain the Shikon no Tama.

"You will do this," her father reiterated as he looked at her.

"Hai," she whispered as she bowed lowly, and fought back the tears, this wasn't fair! This wasn't fair! She would not be a pawn for yōkai to utilize, the Shikon no Tama was precious, it was not meant for yōkai.

Standing she left her father before she ran for her gardens to weep. This wasn't fair! She wasn't supposed to be the bride of a yōkai! A yōkai who had a reputation of cutting whole villages without mercy or thought, she wouldn't do it. She wouldn't! Kagome pulled out the Shikon no Tama then and stared at the jewel, she knew what she would have to do.

Without hesitation she left her gardens and ran to her rooms, she would protect herself and the Shikon no Tama no matter what her father thought. Her name was Higurashi-hime, and she would not let this jewel fall into the hands of a monster!

Kagome was hasty in gathering supplies.

* * *

Hōjō had heard of the ultimatum from the InuYōkai Clan, and he had been utterly appalled! A gentlelady such as Kagome-hime could not marry a brutal yōkai just because it was the whim of such a beast! And not when his own interests also lay in the onna as well.

Hōjō would admit that he had possessed a massive interest in a union between his clan and the Higurashi clan, they were of similar philosophies, and same principles. A union between his clan and the Higurashi clan would prove to only have profit! He could not permit a beast as unclothed as a yōkai to lay claim to the gentle Kagome-hime. He would go speak with her about eloping, immediately.

Hōjō was certain his father would approve of such a match as well!

Hurrying through the halls he was startled when he was slammed into by a smaller woman and blinked.

"Kagome-hime!" he gasped.

"Hōjō-sama!" she sputtered as he released her which had her bowing to him. "Gomen," she murmured.

"Nonsense, I was just… why are you dressed in such rags?" he asked noticing her kimono for the first time. Kagome stood up straight then as she blinked at him.

"I…"

"This is perfect, allow me to steal some guards clothes and we will escape together!" he decided.

"You… you want to run away together!?" she sputtered.

"Hai, you are the most noble and gentlest of ladies I have ever met, I would be amiss not to offer you my protection or my love," he admitted.

She smiled brightly.

* * *

Sesshōmaru was quietly lounging in a tree watching the fish of the lake below. He would have killed to have a decent cup of tea and a book to lounge here, this was a beautiful time to just relax. It wasn't often he was away from his sire, and it wasn't often he could let his guard down, and though he had not let his guard down right now, he couldn't help but relax.

His inner yōkai was lounging in the dying sun, relishing it, and he was enjoying the quiet. It was nice to listen to the birds flutter about and sing, and life to be preparing for the night. There were humans in the far distance, but he could ignore them. Soon enough he would have a human he would be obligated to care for.

Admittedly he did not have a use for any bride at this point in his life, and he did not know what he was going to do with the human. When Izayoi had lived they had talked, she had dreamt of living in Tsuzuki Castle, to be a princess of poise and prestige, and she had disdained all thoughts of having anything less than the best and finest things. As a foolish pup, besotted with a fickle human, he had sought to give her everything. However, in the end, she had found more of what she desired with his father, which disgusted him greatly.

This human he was to wed would probably be terrified of him, and probably wish to have nothing to do with him.

Perhaps he could arrange for the human bride to remain with her father and he to take the Shikon no Tama to his father and everyone would be pleased. He would be alone once more, but such an arrangement was not uncommon, or at least he did not think it to be uncommon, females remaining with their sire for home and protection was a sign of a weak mate, but humans appeared to prefer the arrangement. He could settle for that; it would probably be best for the human.

Sesshōmaru wondered if he was destined for eternal solitude. He did not appear to be a loveable creature by some flaw in his nature. His father did not love him, only utilized him as a full blooded daiyōkai heir, doting and loving InuYasha instead. His one love had come to fear and hate him. All other prospective females, outside of mating season heat, seemed to find him lacking in some way. And what few peers he possessed always seemed to keep a distance from him.

After he helped his father make InuYasha a full blooded daiyōkai he was leaving, he decided. There was no use for him in any of the lives around him, he would forge his own life, and perhaps he would find a worthy mate who would not fear him and desire him.


	4. Chapter 3

It had been nearly seven days since Shiori and Shizu had started residing on her family's farm. Shiori was nearly fully healed, minor discomforts really, and had bonded with Rin's niece and nephews with surprising amounts of ease. Nanami was more than happy to hide Shiori's white hair and drag the hanyō all over the properties her family farmed. Shizu and Shiori were both wary of townsfolk though, and Rin did understand that and could not fault their rational fear of abuse. So her father and brothers had taken to letting Shizu work in the heart of the family farm where few townsfolk wandered.

Rin for the most part kept to her routines, working as a healer and farmer, mostly as a healer though. She would be taken all over the village to manage wounds of humans and animals, some of the village children brought her injured animals they would find too.

In this aspect her life had not changed with harboring a hanyō and yōkai wife, and the village was unaware of her association with Shizu and Shiori.

Rin thought it for the best, the less the villagers knew about Shizu and Shiori then the safer all parties would be. And she kept to this belief, even with the villagers getting festive and excited and extremely nosey with the approaching festival. Like this very morning as she worked on collecting some herbs for the teas the women would need to keep from catching a babe.

"Rin!" a shout came from down the road which had her looking up in time to see Suikotsu approaching, his wife, Kaede, in tow.

"Doctor Suikotsu," she smiled as she stood, dusting her hands off just as the surgeon reached her. She bowed to him a bit and chuckled. "How are you my old friend?"

"I am well!" he admitted. "My wife and I decided to attend the Tanabata Festival here this year!"

"I am so happy you have both come!" she chuckled. Kaede smiled at her and bowed a bit. The older woman had lost an eye as a child to a cruel yōkai, and lost her voice because of a different yōkai shortly after her marriage to Suikotsu; everyone in the region knew Kaede's story for it was equal parts admirable and terrifying.

"There's also been… whispers," he said.

"Whispers?" she asked collecting her basket and they started walking towards the village.

"Hai, whispers," he admitted. "Of a silver yōkai killing all who cross their path," he informed her.

"Mmm," she hummed, she had a feeling that it could be Shizu's missing husband.

"They say he demanded Higurashi-sama's daughter's hand," he continued. "I've been summoned to the army by Higurashi-sama because of this demand."

"Nani?"

"Hai, it appears the Shikoku InuYōkai Clan is seeking an alliance with humans," he sighed. "Obviously I'm against such a union, but it is not my place."

"Why were you summoned?" she asked.

"Because I am an experienced doctor and there are dying and injured who will need my aid," he answered.

"I see, should I accompany you?" she asked.

"No, Rin, no, I fear there will not be much I can do even with considerable skills, tangling with inuyōkai never ends well for anyone."

"Mmm, I can imagine," she agreed nonchalantly. Rin rarely dealt with yōkai inflicted wounds and did not mind aiding hanyō and yōkai when they needed aid; information she did not think was wise to share. Extremists like Ungai would likely say she was bewitched by the yōkai and demand her exorcism or death, and likely it would lead to her death once it was known she wasn't bewitched or besotted with a yōkai.

"We will stay for the festival though," he smiled.

"I will see you both there then," she chuckled. "I will be attending with my niece and nephews," she explained.

"No young man?" he asked.

"No one since Yūta," she admitted.

"Shame, I know my son would want you to find someone," he said softly.

"I…" she started and shook her head with a sad smile. She had never dwelt upon her one ill-fated romance, she was certain she and Yūta had been too young to understand the hardship of truly loving someone, and she didn't think that the innocence of that love would've lasted. But she did think she and Yūta would've been a good match. Yūta had been patient, courageous, kind, and funny; so funny, he couldn't take anything in life seriously, he was warm and full of life. She was certain that as Yūta would've aged, he'd would've been a jovial man, and a boisterous spirit, something she would love. Rin herself was not a loud or jovial soul. She was quieter by nature, simple, and while she loved life and would laugh with glee and dance with the children, she wasn't boisterous or loud.

Yūta had been filled to the brim with life, and untampered joy for living. Something she had quietly appreciated, because he let her laugh, he made her smile, and kami knew that living was hard, but he made it fun! Yes, Yūta and she would've been a good match, Yūta had loved that she wanted to learn healing, and he himself had wanted to be nothing more than a farmer, her father had adored Yūta. To be completely honest Rin was certain that her father and brothers felt more sorrow when they learn Yūta had died in battle than she had. She was saddened, but her family had been utterly devastated.

"Just, think about it, he would want you to be happy Rin," Suikotsu said softly.

"I know," she offered. "But I'm happy as things are right this moment," she promised her former mentor and father of her dearest friend.

He just nodded as he and his wife walked to the village and she sighed as she watched them go. Shaking her head to herself she walked towards her home, she would arrange to have a dinner with Suikotsu and Kaede before the festival she decided, but she would not dwell upon anything else.

* * *

Sesshōmaru was actually enjoying his time in the mortal realm, so long as he was not near humans; which was easy enough to arrange, it was a beautiful, peaceful place. The animals were wise to remain out of his path; a prey's instinctive understanding that he was more than just a dangerous predator.

The forests here were peaceful though, the trees were thick, and the vegetation was all encumbering, it was as if he were the only one here. Which was a solace he had rarely felt, to relish in his solitude rather than being trapped in a pack feeling utterly ostracized and alone. Izayoi had, before his father had stolen the fickle human, made him feel less lonely, and it struck him a lot at odd times since her death just how lonely he could feel amidst his own packmates. Sesshōmaru was his father's weapon, a weapon deployed when battles were not going how his father desired or as a warning or threat.

Sesshōmaru had been sent to dispatch Ryūkotsuse and Shishinki, single handedly, and while those had bolstered his reputation as a powerful daiyōkai it had ostracized him from his own packmates. And for him, standing among his pack mates was the loneliest sensation in the world, but solitude like this was not lonely.

Closing his eyes, he breathed deeply, his bride would not be an aid to curing his loneliness, no, she would no doubt be terrified of him and hate him like they all did. Silently Sesshōmaru cursed his father for this task, one which was to aid Izayoi's progeny and to further remind him that he was alone in the end. Again he found himself loathing the woman who had stolen his heart, he wished he'd killed InuYasha and been done with this drama before his father's ultimatums had happened. Or rather, he wished he could break his father's hold over him so he could just leave. Better to strike off on his own rather than being trapped in this cursed loneliness he felt around his packmates.

A sound had his ears twitching as his eyes snapped open and he moved towards it; another daiyōkai, a threat to his presence and he would figure out what this meant.

There were screams of humans in the distance, something akin to high pitch clicking and squeaking but far more dangerous there. It had his attention.

* * *

Kagome felt utterly disgusting after a week of running with Hōjō. They had lost their horse after the third day, and most of their food supplies on the second. She was a bit surprised Hōjō did not know a thing about surviving outside the palace, which was turning into a greater hindrance than aid for both of them. Kagome had never thought she'd need to know these savage skills but now she wished she did. It was miserable, hot, humid, and there were so many bug bites all over her that she wanted to leap out of her skin in discomfort. Not to mention she was hungry, tired, sore; and her stomach was still upset about those berries she had eaten a while ago in an attempt to stave off some of her hunger. It wasn't helping. Now they were lost, she was certain they were lost, because there was nothing out here!

Hōjō didn't know north from south and she had a horrible feeling she was going to die lost if they did not find a road or village soon. Also, she wanted a bed to sleep on because she was so sick and tired of sleeping on the ground!

* * *

It was a quiet afternoon as she worked diligently. Suikotsu informing her he was heading for a war was unsettling, so she had decided to build up a little stockpile of her own just in case the war spilled over to her area of the village. That would not be something her father wanted her aware of, but it was a reality.

"Oba-san! Oba-san!" a small voice shouted as they came bursting into her work hut.

"Nani! Nani! Nani!" she giggled in exasperation as she continued with her work on the herbs she was curing.

"The Tanabata Festival is soon! What are you wishing for!?" her nephew giggled.

"Hello Shiori, are you feeling well enough to be up and about?" Rin asked noticing the little hanyō who Nanami was dragging along.

"Hai," Shiori whispered.

"Good. Ken, I could not tell you what I wish for, as that would defeat the purpose of the wish," she mused. It had been a few days now since Shiori and her mother had started staying at the farm. The annual festival was tonight, which the villagers had been preparing for most of the week now that she thought about.

"I'm wishing for mochi! All the mochi I can eat!"

"That's a stupid wish," Nanmi scoffed.

"Is not!" Ken shouted.

"Kami," Rin sighed. "A wish is a wish, and we are not to judge what is and is not stupid, understand!?" she cut off the children. "And Ken, if you must know, I will not be wishing for mochi," she chuckled setting the child down.

"Chichi-ue says you wishing for a husband!" her other nephew, Ren declared smugly.

"Mmm, your chichi-ue will regret that," Rin chuckled as she stood. "No, I will not be wishing for a husband."

"A mate?" Shiori asked, which had all four people looking at the little hanyō girl. Shiori flinched and looked at the ground then.

"No Shiori, I will not be wishing for a mate either," Rin mused gently. Shiori smiled then. "If you must know, I'm wishing for a koinu!"

"Really!" all the children gaped at her.

"Hai," she giggled. That had them shouting for glee as they raced from her little hut and into the garden. Shiori joined the others, as Nanami started the chant for their fathers to hear the desire for a puppy. Rin figured that it would be a while before her brothers forgave her for that idea, but she didn't mind as she walked back into her hut to continue her work.

It was well into the evening when Ken'ichi appeared to get her for supper.

"A koinu!?" he demanded poking his head in as she ground the herbs.

"Hai," she smiled innocently as she looked up at him and started finishing up.

"You are evil incarnated!" he declared. "You know we're now going to have to find a koinu," he huffed.

"Tanaka had a litter a few days ago," she informed him. "I delivered, there's a runt you can have, it won't be a hunter, lame foot and small one, but a good one for the children I bet. Of course this will be after it's weaned," she stated wiping her hands as she stood.

"You planned this!"

"Hai, I did, when Tanaka had me deliver the pups, I asked him for the runt before he drowned it," she stated as she walked with him.

"Hm… maybe you're not so evil," he decided. "What's with all the herbs, that's more than normal," he asked as she started closing up her workshop.

"Suikotsu warned me of a war nearby, I'm preparing in case it comes in this direction," she stated.

"Chichi will never let you near a war," he warned sharply.

"Hai, I'm aware, but I'll be ready whether he likes it or not," she stated as she walked through the evening.

"Storms are brewing, Rin, I think the late rains are coming, typhoons possibly too," he warned. She looked out at the horizon and pursed her lips.

"I think it'll miss us, too hot," she said absently as she slapped at a mosquito absently.

"Mmm, I hope it comes our way, we need it," he huffed.

"I know, most of my herbs are useless and shriveled from the sun," she muttered.

"End of summer, autumn and harvest will be upon us soon," he decided as they made it to her father's house.


	5. Chapter 4

Kagome and Hōjō had been walking for days now, her horse having been stolen on the first night of their journey. Her feet were killing her, and she swore if she didn't sleep in a real bed she would die. She wanted to go home, to curl up and sleep in her bed and room, to drink tea in her garden, to play her biwa or read a quiet scroll of poetry. But now she was sweaty, dusty, and something smelled horrible; she hoped it wasn't her.

"We're nearing a village," Hōjō said as he walked beside her.

"Thank Kami!" she whispered.

"Nanami please don't run towards the road!" a voice shouted and Kagome turned in time to see an onna following a little girl. There were other children around her, and a babe strapped to the onna's back.

"But oba-san!" the girl, Nanami whine.

"No buts, I promised I'd get us all to the village in one piece," the onna said as she neared the road. "And you're being rude, there are travelers," the onna hissed.

"You better listen to oba-san or you gonna get it!" a boy chided as they neared.

"I'm sorry, but did you say village?" Hōjō asked as the onna neared, now Kagome got a good look at the onna. She was about the same height as Kagome was, slighter stature, she seemed so delicate and whimsical, almost unreal. The onna's hair was worn in a tail, not confined to a traditional style, her face was the part which startled Kagome, and Hōjō too from what she could see. The onna smiled warmly.

"Oh, hai," the onna said. "The village is just over this ridge, we're preparing for the tanabata festival!"

Kagome couldn't look away, it was like looking in a mirror! It was stunning to Kagome. Other than a dash of freckles the onna looked near identical to her and Kikyō.

"That means no inns," Hōjō sighed.

"Have you been travelling far?" the onna asked.

"Hai," Hōjō said.

"Oba-san! I wanna go!" the little girl shouted.

"Nanami!" the onna reprimanded which had the little girl slinking to the onna.

"I apologize for my niece's impatience," the onna turned back to them. Kagome noticed now the onna had six children around her, including a little one who was hiding behind the onna peering around with a violet eye.

"Hai, there is a festival, but it shouldn't be big, it's mostly locals, we do not get that many travelers, the inn will have room for you if you need room and board. Mostly the festival is for the children," the onna said.

"That's amazing, and where's the inn?" Hōjō asked.

"Oba-san!"

"Nanami if you do not cut it out right this minute I will return you to your father and you will not go to the festival," the onna stated which had the child pouting a bit. "If you would like you may come with me, after I drop this brood off with my family I will be happy to escort you to the inn. I have to go check on a patient before the festivities begin."

"That would be wonderful!" Kagome grinned.

"Of course," the onna nodded. The girl hiding behind the onna tugged her yukata which had her turning.

"It's alright, nothing will happen," she whispered.

"I'm Hōjō, and this is Kagome," Hōjō smiled.

"Pleasure to meet you, I'm Rin," the onna said. Kagome was still so dumbfounded seeing Rin she couldn't speak. Rin smiled as she walked onwards, it was clear to Kagome that Rin was an old hand at corralling the children, she never seemed off beat or put off by them even as she herded them into the village. Kagome was surprised at how swift of a transfer Rin had with the children to a different set of women, who giggled and laughed with Rin before waving her off.

"Is there something on my face or in my hair?" Rin asked her suddenly.

"Gomen!" Kagome sputtered. "You just… it's surprising to me, I feel like I'm looking in a mirror," Kagome explained.

"Ah," Rin nodded.

"It is most shocking," Hōjō agreed.

"Well, I cannot help this is the face the kami gave me," Rin chuckled.

"No, I don't suppose you can," Kagome agreed with amusement. She followed Rin, noticing for a change how friendly people were with Rin, asking her opinions, listening to her, even laughing at her exasperation or flattered responses.

"Rin!" a young man appeared.

"Kohaku-chan!" Rin greeted, an athletic girl appeared beside the young man. "Serina-chan, it is good to see you both, perhaps we can meet up at the festival," Rin offered. "I was just showing Hōjō-san and Kagome-san to the inn."

"Oh, hai, we'll tell you at the festival," the girl, Serina giggled as she dragged off the boy.

"What are you?" Kagome asked.

"Nani?" Rin turned to her as Hōjō got distracted by a stall set up for the festival.

"I've never seen an onna so respected," Kagome admitted. Though there was a reverence with which women were treated in her father's court, there was this underlying disinterest though. Rin though commanded her presence and came across as serene, gentle, yet possessed the steel of a blade. Kagome was in awe, the onna's passions did not seem dimmed in the slightest.

"Oh, that, I'm the local healer, which works as there is no miko or doctor for a while, two villages over is the actual surgeon, Doctor Suikotsu," Rin explained. "We correspond but as I'm the only healer around I have more to do."

"I have never heard of a healer so young," Hōjō said.

"Not all of us are blessed with straightforward paths in life, here's the inn. Kon'nichiwa, Yuno," Rin called out.

"Rin!" the innkeeper appeared, an old man.

"I'll be by tomorrow to check your arthritis," she said. "Hōjō-san, Kagome-san, I take my leave," Rin said with a bow.

"Say hello to Junpei for me!" Yuno shouted.

"Hai, I'll remind him of your tea mornings!" she called out as she waved them off.

"Sweet girl, that Rin, so what can I do for you?"

"We need a set of rooms," Hōjō said.

* * *

Hōjō watched the peasant go and an idea started forming in his mind. He had been startled to see that onna, he was more stunned at how she looked like Kagome and Kikyō, but somewhere between the two in spirit. He had been shocked at the sight of this patient, kind, onna, her heavy black hair long and loose, and surrounded by children. She looked like a kami sent blessing! Hōjō knew the moment he saw her that all problems were solved.

All he had to do was get Kagome on board with his scheme, then they could present it to her father, and the problem of a daiyōkai marriage would be no more. Sesshōmaru-sama had never met Kagome-hime, so it was unlikely he'd know if the onna he married was different. And with how Rin-san had looked… good kami the onna could be a copy of Kagome-hime in looks and build. She looked more like Kagome-hime than Kikyō-hime did! Hōjō thought it amazing.

And she was a peasant within the Higurashi lands! The shōgun would have command of her!

"Did you see her?" he whispered to Kagome then as they were left in peace in their room.

"It was a bit odd seeing her," Kagome admitted as she sat on the offered futon.

"She looks exactly like you," he pointed out.

"You think?"

"Hai."

"She didn't…"

"She could pass as yours and Kikyō-hime's twin," he stated firmly as he sat there staring at her.

"Really?"

"Hai, and I think we could use her…" he stated.

* * *

Sesshōmaru scented the blood and that's what brought him here. He was a bit surprised when he saw another diayokai, looking around wildly, wide violet eyes were frantic until they settled on him. Sesshōmaru tilted his head slightly as he assessed the other daiyōkai. From the scent he knew that he was a hyakkikoumori, male, about Sesshōmaru's age and mated.

"Who are you?" the male demanded.

Sesshōmaru frowned.

"From your scent, you're inu daiyōkai."

"And you are hyakkikoumori," he replied. "I assume from the age and eyes that you are Tsukuyomaru."

"The markings on you make you Sesshōmaru," he replied icily. "Are you here because of my father?"

"No."

Now the daiyōkai relaxed as he hopped up into the tree branches where Sesshōmaru was. Sesshōmaru overlooked the carnage and then back to the daiyōkai.

"Humans stole my mate and daughter," Tsukuyomaru stated.

"I see."

"If your were sent to the mortal realm I thought it because you were sent to collect me," the bat explained.

"I am not my father's tracker," he stated simply. Sesshōmaru didn't know Tsukuyomaru personally, but he felt a kinship with the fellow heir. Sesshōmaru was half tempted to spare with him, a test of power, but in the mortal realm that would be stifling rather than a challenge or liberating.

"Why are you here?" Tsukuyomaru asked as he assessed Sesshōmaru.

Sesshōmaru didn't respond to that and the bat sighed as they both over looked the carnage Tsukuyomaru had unleashed.

"Your father has a hanyō," Tsukuyomaru stated.

Sesshōmaru nodded slightly.

"I suppose your father sent you to obtain the Shikon no Tama for your hanyō sibling," Tsukuyomaru said levelly.

"And if that is why I was sent?" Sesshōmaru asked.

"Then I should warn you not to go for the damn thing," Tsukuyomaru stated as he sat down. "I, myself, have a hanyō daughter, and I can tell you to tell your father and brother it is not the answer."

"Your daughter?" Sesshōmaru asked. He hadn't heard of the hyakkikoumori having an heir.

"Hai, I'm… her mother and she are missing," he whispered as his head fell back. "I returned from a Clan meeting and an army had burnt down their hut…" the daiyōkai broke then with a shuddering breath. "Whatever your father is after with the Shikon no Tama, it will not help your brother."

"I do not care about InuYasha or my father's desires," Sesshōmaru admitted dismissively.

Suddenly Tsukuyomaru looked desperate. "You're an inu!"

Sesshōmaru lifted a brow; he thought it was fairly obvious he was inu; it wasn't like he was a neko!

"I'm begging you," Tsukuyomaru said. "Please, can you help me find my daughter!"

"Nani?"

"I… I haven't seen my mate or daughter, I cannot find them!" Tsukuyomaru whispered. "I have not heard their hearts, or caught their scent, please! I will do whatever you need."

"I heard you left your colony," Sesshōmaru stated looking down at the bat.

"Hai, please, I will do anything for your aid," Tsukuyomaru pleaded.

Sesshōmaru assessed the bat, and scented only desperation. He knew that he could easily help the bat, and that having a daiyōkai like Tsukukyomaru in his debt would be useful. To have an ally when he made his move.

"Very well," he replied.

"Really?"

"You will be in my debt," he stated.

Tsukuyomaru nodded and then moved as he pulled out a small blanket from a pouch he had hidden behind his wings. Sesshōmaru accepted it.

"That's all I have left of my daughter," Tsukuyomaru said softly.

Sesshōmaru nodded as he looked at it, inhaling the scent carefully. Handing it back he took to the highest point he could find and scented the air, searching for scents past the obvious carnage.

There was a trace of something on the air, and he continued following it, sensing Tsukuyomaru following him.

* * *

Rin walked with Shizu through the village as they watched the children.

"I don't think Shiori has ever had friends," Shizu murmured as they watched the girls torment the younger boys before the boys found a dead mouse and chased the girls with it.

"It's nice to see them having fun," Rin smiled.

"I could never take her to a festival before," Shizu admitted softly.

"She is more than welcomed to come with us, we'll keep her safe." Rin had a few ideas to keep Shiori safe, mainly in an ink she had in her storage shed for her work, it should turn Shiori's snowy locks black as midnight. It should wash out in a few days, but the application of the dye would be enough to hide most of Shiori's hanyō appearance for the day to day. Shiori's eyes though would be more of a challenge, but Rin was certain that if the girl had normal hair by human standards the eyes would be written off as a gift of beauty from the kami.

"You cannot keep hanyō's safe," Shizu muttered bitterly.

"That may be, but that does not mean we do not try. And if we do what I think we should, it should be easier to pass her off as a beautiful human rather than a hanyō."

"What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking we dye her hair," Rin admitted. "She has lovely hair but it is the biggest mark of her hanyō heritage that people immediately notice."

Now Shizu nodded slowly.

"I'm sorry, but I must go, I have to check on Sango and Miroku," she said.

"I will get them to the farm," Shizu promised.

"Arigato," she smiled as she stood and grabbed her basket before walking up the hill and heading out the village. The sweltering heat was starting to get to her, as were the mosquitos, and it was exhausting. Perhaps after the festival Rin would take a few days to rest, or perhaps she would sneak off for a swim in the river when no one was the wiser. That sounded appealing. Dragging her hand through her hair she shook it loose.

"Rin!" Miroku called for her then and she smiled as she raised a hand in greeting.

"Miroku-san," she greeted.

"Getting ready for the festival?" he asked.

"Hai, tomorrow is that big night," she chuckled. "But right now, I am here to see your twins and your wife."

"Arigato, Sango will be excited to see you," he smiled.

"How are they?" she asked as she paused to catch her breath in the sweltering heat. Kami it was a hot summer, she did not like it and was eager for autumn to come.

"They're good, Sango is a bit warm, but we're doing our best to keep the house cool," he said.

"Mmm, she'll be pleased when the hundred days are over," she chuckled then. Most mothers had imposing mothers or mothers-in-law overseeing everything they were doing. Rin knew that Sango would not have anyone there for aiding her, so Rin had made a mental note to always see to being helping Sango and Miroku a bit more, especially because this was the first child for them.

"She will be, so what's happened in the village?" he asked as they walked.

"Newcomers came in from the forest, I took them Yuno's inn," she shrugged.

"And your guests?"

"Shizu and Shiori are well, they're recovering well," she admitted carefully. Sango and Kohaku were yōkai taijiya before they had come here with Miroku and settled into life here. She didn't know entirely how they felt about hanyō and yōkai in general so she didn't want to risk them catching onto the fact that she was harboring a hanyō at this moment. Just because she was alright with hanyō and yōkai did not mean that others were.

"That's good, it is always sad to hear of a mother being attacked."

"It was her daughter, Shizu though is recovering."

"Any word on her husband?"

"None so far, but they did run for a while so it is possible that he does not know where they are," she admitted. However, a yōkai could and probably would find them and then she hoped to reason with the yōkai so as to keep everyone safe. Shizu had said that her mate was not an unreasonable creature, however, the true test would be when he arrived here and knew what had happened to his mate and daughter.

"I will pray for them," Miroku sagely promised.

"That would be appreciated," she chuckled. "I'll go check your wife and daughters."

"Arigato," Miroku said again as she walked into the house.

* * *

Kagome stared at Hōjō after he had gone over his plan for using the onna.

"You…"

"It's the perfect plan Kagome-hime!" he insisted. "This way you don't have to continue running for your life, and he won't even know the difference!"

"He's a daiyōkai!" she hissed. They were not creatures that could easily be fooled by a mere switching of places.

"And she's a nobody!" Hōjō snapped.

Kagome couldn't argue with that. Peasants, farmers, villagers, they were all inconsequential to the politics of the higher classes, and they did not matter in the grand scheme of things. But the idea of using one person to take her place, to willingly do that to another person, that was rather sickening. It was monstrous. But at the same time, she did not want to marry or be near Sesshōmaru-sama.

"You don't think she'll actually agree to it!" Kagome hissed.

"Of course, she will, it will be in service to her shōgun and bring honor to her," he stated.

Kagome's brows rose, she didn't think that anyone would be able to bribe that onna with honor.

"It will work, then you and I will be together, forever," he promised.

"And the Shikon no Tama will be safe!" she smiled.

"Hai."

"I trust you Hōjō-sama," she admitted. "I cannot marry Sesshōmaru-sama, I will sooner die than let him get the Shikon no Tama!"

"And I will slay him before he could ever lay a single claw on you," Hōjō promised.

It still sickened her that they would be using a peasant in such a manner, without a care of her fate, but Kagome knew that her fate was far more important than a single peasant's. She would have to make the switch, it was for the good of everyone here. Then she would live her life with Hōjō and his harem, safe within his castle.


	6. Chapter 5

The night of the festival Rin struggled to do her hair, which had decided today was not a day it would cooperate with her wishes. She gave up and left the mass down as she finished dressing and felt she was ready for the night. She had selected a bright yellow kimono with green leaves, blue butterflies and a few small pale pink peach blossoms hidden in the embroidery patterns. Her pale pink obi was a nice contrast too. Seeping up a bit of her hair out of her face she pinned it up and felt that was about as good as it was going to get before she left her home.

A previous appointment in her day with Sango and her family had Rin running late, which meant she would meet her family at the festival.

Happy with her appearance she let her geta dangle from her fingers as she made her way to the festival. The walk to the village was uneventful, which was good, but upon arriving at the festival she was stunned to see so many Higurashi colors hung about and so many soldiers in the area. It was even more unsettling because it had obviously happened today while she had been out on the farms and taking care of their farther out neighbors.

"Rin!" a voice called and she looked just in time to see her brother's wife, Izumi hurrying towards her.

"What is going on?" she asked as she accepted her nephew.

"The Higurashi-hime is missing, they've brought posters and posting rewards," Izumi said unhappily.

"Higurashi-hime?"

"Hai, the shōgun has offered a hefty reward for the return of his daughter," Izumi explained. "Daft bint running off like that," Izumi rolled her eyes.

"They think she ran off?"

"Hai, no evidence of a kidnapping."

"That's awful," Rin shuddered at the thought. "That poor princess, it cannot be easy running around when you're unaccustomed to it."

"Ken'ichi said she looked like you," Izumi asked.

"I am not a hime," she snorted.

"You could be, oh, and Shizu said she and Shiori were sorry but they would not be attending, so Yasu agreed for them to remain on his farm for the night, Ai wanted you to know that they are safe," Izumi said.

"Ai remained with them?"

"No, she is here, but no one knows that Shizu and Shiori are there," Izumi promised.

Rin nodded at that as they finally made it to her family.

"Rin! So good of you to join us, I see we have a hime amidst us mere peasants!" Ken'ichi laughed as he greeted her.

"Laugh it up," she snorted.

"We all know you're know hime, Rin," Tomomi chuckled as he held his own wife, Hana close.

"Damn straight!" she nodded.

"But seriously, we could just hand you over for the reward, the resemblance is stunning!" Ken'ichi teased.

"If you got rid of me then there'd be no one here to promise a wish for koinu!" she pointed out.

"So… Yasu, about that award money?" Ken'ichi asked before Rin elbowed her eldest brother as hard as she could in the ribs which had him grunting.

"Keep laughing," she warned them.

"We're just teasing, we'd never get rid of you, Rin," Yasu promised.

"Oba-san! Oba-san! They have kingyo sukui!" her nephews shouted, shoving their way through the adult legs.

"They do! Lead the way!" she ordered as she let them tug on her sleeves and pull her along, all the adults were laughing behind her and she enjoyed the exuberance of her nephews. Kyō was the toddler and didn't have a fighting chance at the goldfish scooping so Rin teamed herself with him. Yū slept soundly in her arm as she fished, while she instructed Ichirō and Jirō so they didn't lose all their fish. Hiroshi watched the fish besotted rather than catching them while Nanami tried to get him to catch the fish.

"Yay! Kyō, good job!" she clapped a bit as her nephew caught his fish, he smiled broadly as she helped him out. They would keep fish for the time being, Rin knew that, accepting the small jar the fish was placed in before they resumed meandering through the festival. Kyō had taken to clinging to her skirts as she listened to Nanami and Hiroshi bicker about rules of a game.

"How about dango?" she offered, she noted that her brothers had disappeared with their wives and wondered if she'd have two or three new nephews and nieces in nine months or not.

"DANGO!" all the kids shouted in glee.

"Halt!" a voice bellowed and she turned just in time for a large hand to grab her wrist which had her looking into the eyes of a massive man. "Higurashi-hime!"

"Gomen, I'm Rin," she said carefully as she stood there. Yū was in her arms, and her nephews and niece now huddled around her as they glared warily at the guard. "I'm the local healer."

"Pardon, I thought… you look so similar," the man offered as he released her.

"So I've been told," she replied removing herself from his reach. "Have a good night," she bowed slightly before herding the children toward the dango stall.

"Oba-san?" Ishirō hissed as she paid for the dango, tugging on her sleeve.

"Hai?"

"Why did that man think you were Higurashi-hime?"

"Apparently we look similar," she answered. "Not to worry, it's merely a misunderstanding that was resolved, eat your dango," she said.

The boy nodded as he gleefully attacked the dango. They made their way to the docks and sat down to write wishes for the festival. By the time they did this she could see that the kids were running out of energy and decided that she should walk them to her father's home. Her father would never have attended this festival, even when her mother had been alive. Once they were in the old farmhouse, she tucked them in on the spare futon before settling herself in for the night.

Tomorrow she would have to give out a lot of herbs for hangovers and pregnancy prevention.

* * *

It was dawn when Kagome slipped out of the inn, feeling more like herself after finally receiving a hot bath and some decent rest. She was stunned at Hōjō's suggestion, but she wouldn't out right dismiss it, she couldn't. Kami above did she hate herself for not being able to dismiss the idea out right.

Kagome was stunned when she saw Rin walking through the village, slipping herbs into huts, and talking to the early morning vendors.

"Rin-san, right?" Kagome asked when the onna neared.

"Ohayōgozaimasu," Rin greeted with a slightly small bow as she kept her attention on her basket of supplies.

"I was wondering if…" Kagome started, she was now looking at Rin, tempted to beg for the onna for her aid.

"Do you need the herbs too?" Rin asked softly.

"The herbs?"

"To prevent pregnancy," Rin clarified.

Kagome flushed and shook her head.

"I see, well, I do have to finish delivering them, so may we walk and talk?" Rin asked.

"Oh, hai," she nodded as they walked. Rin was quiet, and Kagome watched the onna in fascination, she was so graceful and carrying, it was a bit unbelievable.

"What is it?" Rin asked as they reached the edge of the small village.

"I… I find myself in a difficult position?"

"Oh?" Rin as stopping to lean on a house.

"I… I don't mean to burden you, you just… you seem so wise, I was curious what you would do?"

"I'm not wise," Rin giggled. "I just have a lot of experience with listening," she mused.

"I… I can marry a monster or follow the man I love's plan, but it comes at the expense of another," she explained.

"I see," she hummed. "And have you spoken to the ma you claim is a monster?" Rin asked.

"No, I only know him by reputation," she admitted.

"Well then how could you know if he is or is not a monster?" Rin asked. "The reputation one possesses and the actual person they are, are sometimes two very different things," she said.

"I just…" she stopped and sighed.

"I do not think I can help you with this, Kagome-san, this is something only you will know what to do," Rin answered.

"I see," she sighed in frustration.

"I would not be swift to judge, not until you at least meet the man you claim is a monster."

Kagome watched the onna walk away and she sighed, she didn't know anymore, Rin seemed patient and wise and kind; Kagome wasn't certain she could use the onna the way Hōjō wanted. But then again, she couldn't marry Sesshōmaru-sama, that would kill her. The daiyōkai was renowned for his hatred of humans and she knew he'd just take the jewel and leave her for dead; or worse, he'd rape and kill her.

Kagome sighed and watched Rin go.

She couldn't condemn the onna to her fate, even if they shared appearances. With that in mind she turned back to the inn to tell Hōjō that they couldn't do the plan. Then she saw her father's guards and she backed away before she started running.

* * *

It had been a surprisingly busy day for a day after a festival. There'd been a number of hangovers and request for herbs to prevent pregnancy, but there were also other requests of her. Which was how Rin found herself at the river, the sun was high and harsh early today, she wished for the rain. Shizu was with her and Rin was fixing up the hand of one of the village children, he had cut himself when he had been playing with his fishing knife.

"And this, Tomoe, is why we do not play with knives, especially knives used to gut fish," Rin scolded as the twelve-year-old winced as she worked his wound over to get out all the fish guts.

"I did not know that there could be so much damage," Shizu said as eh watched, handing Rin supplies.

"Stupidity brings about all sorts of damage," Rin sighed.

Shizu chuckled. Tomoe had the good graces to pout at her statement as she finished her work and instructed him on how to handle his bandages and hand. There was a firm warning from her against him getting it wet or continuing gutting fish and if she heard he was doing either she'd gut him. With that she packed up and started walking along the river with Shizu.

The older woman had asked to accompany Rin today, which had been a pleasant change, though Shizu was still a skittish companion.

"Rin?"

"Hm?"

"I wanted to thank you," Shizu said softly. "I do not believe I have had a friend in such a long time, I had forgotten what it was like," she admitted.

"It is wonderful to have you and Shiori about," Rin chuckled.

"I just… you have no idea how much it means to me," she admitted.

Of course," Rin started when there was a shout from the river bed, a scream for help which had Rin running for the river again, she carefully got down the steeper bank in time to see Hōjō and Kagome, Hōjō was running the banks as the girl struggled and there were some horses on the upper half of the other bank running with the river. Rin didn't hesitate as she dropped her basket and dove into the water after the struggling onna.

The currents were swift to carry her through the river, she barely caught Kagome as the onna was dragged under the water, struggling. Rin hefted the weight of the limp onna up and struggled for them to break the surface, finally though she did as she gasped for air and saw a tree rushing towards them. Rin struggled to drag the onna with her and gasped as she hit the tree with her ribs before managing to wrap her arm around the tree. Kagome sputtered as she did the same, coughing up water.

"Kagome-hime!" Hōjō shouted and Rin slowly guided the onna through the branches to the banks where the man scooped her up and a guard grabbed Rin by her hair, dragging her from the water.


	7. Chapter 6

Rin was shivering as she sat bound and gagged before Hōjō and Kagome, the guards were all around her, which had her glaring at them as she stared balefully at the fire dancing before her. It had been three days since she had stupidly decided to dive into a river to save that drowning onna, and now she sat here. The guard had not stopped to inform anyone she was with them, they had merely taken her with them, thrown her over a horse, as Hōjō attended to Kagome, and ridden off. Now Rin was kami knew where, in the middle of the forest, and she should be scared of what these men would do to her, but to be honest, Rin was livid. The moment she could escape, she would. Rin wasn't fool enough to stay in a pack of male humans who were battle hardened, she had heard the horror stories, she had even cleaned up some of the aftermath on unlucky occasions.

"We will be arriving at the castle soon," a guard said.

"Tomorrow in the morning," another muttered.

"Strange how she looks like Higurashi-hime," a different said as he walked by her. Rin growled when a man reached for her.

"Now, miss, we aren't going to hurt you, but you do need to eat!" the captain of the guard said.

She waited until they removed her gag before she gnashed her teeth at the hand near her face which had the man falling back on his ass as she glared at him. A back hand sent her sprawling over the grass and gasping in pain when her shoulder was jarred.

"What is the meaning of this!?" Hōjō shouted as he appeared. appeared.

"She tried to bite me!" the guard shouted. Rin struggled to be upright when hands pulled her up to her feet, she growled at the sight of Hōjō holding her.

"I apologize for the men's brutality. You are a guest."

"Well, if all guests are to be bound and gagged and dragged from their village, I would hate to see what you do to prisoners," she snorted haughtily as she glared at him. Hōjō had the good sense to appear somewhat abashed by her statements.

"I apologize for the treatment, Rin-san, but I assure you, once you hear our plight you will want to aid us," he said.

"I'd be more inclined to be charitable if I was not being treated like a prisoner," she retorted.

"Please, come sit by the fire," Hōjō ordered helping her to the fire. She sat and continued glaring at the guards who had the sense to look ashamed of her situation. She sat there poised as she could be, bound and she glared at them as she did her naughty niece and nephews, or one of her naughty patients. She was livid. And if it weren't for the ropes tying her up, she'd unleash her tongue and temper on the fools. But for now, they would deal with her icy temper, she would truly unleash hell upon these fools when she was able to escape.

Rin was no stranger to forests, she spent a good amount of time foraging and hunting and exploring she knew how to lose a tracker or a hunter, and when she focused, she could make a good snare which could probably thwart a human. She was so mad right now though that she needed her temper to cool a little before she tried to escape.

But once she was able to, she would be gone.

"Rin-san, I know this is not a normal reaction for gratitude…" Hōjō started.

"Do not," she cut off. "I rescued your companion, I dove into the water to go get her while you all ran on the banks, and instead of thanking me, as a civilized human being would do, I get dragged out of the water, left in my drenched clothing, bound and gagged, thrown on a horse, at your orders. Do not tell me how you've treated me is gratitude, at least do me the simple curtesy of admitting that I am your prisoner, if nothing else, do it for your own self-respect," she spat.

Looking at the fires she ignored Hōjō and his people as she sat there shivering.

"Fine, I'll admit something to you," Hōjō seethed as he leaned in close to whisper in her ear. "If fortune had not dropped you in my lap like that, I would've brought an army back to drag you along with me, because you will do what I plan, one way or another. Kagome-hime is worth a thousand of you," he stated.

Rin turned to him and looked him dead in the eye. "You are a fool," she stated firmly and looked back at the fires. It did not matter for whatever Hōjō had planned or felt could be planned for whatever his scheme was, she would not cower to him and she would not fall in line just simply because she was a peasant, she a prisoner and therefore would not give them the respect they so desperately craved, she wasn't so fool as to hand that over willingly.

"You will do this, for the good of your family, or they will die," Hōjō stated.

"If you harm anyone in my family I will die before I cooperate," she warned sharply which gained his attention. "You so desperately need me, then know I am unafraid to remove myself from said need."

"You don't have the courage."

"Hōjō-sama?"

"What?" he spat as he glared at her.

"Do not underestimate the determination of people you have never met," she warned sharply as he walked away. Rin would find the resolve to just continue onwards. She would not submit to their desires. Rin glared when she saw Kagome-hime dressed sloppily walking towards her, that seemed to make the woman hesitate before walking away. Rin would not hear any more excuses as to what they were after.

What she really wanted was to go home, have a nice hot bath, change into dry clothes, and curl up on her futon and sleep for a month. She was tired of this.

* * *

Rin found herself, after days of being dragged along, before the Higurashi shiro, she was well aware of where she was now. Once as a child her father had been summoned here, because of her family's lack of relatives outside of her brothers; who were essentially children at the time, her father had been forced to take her and her brother, Tomomi to the shiro; leaving Ken'ichi who had been fourteen at the time with Yasu, who had been twelve, in charge of the farm. Rin had thought the Higurashi home to be too big and showy, though it was beautiful in a way that an exotic bird was, but not in a way that spoke of lasting beauty or practicality. Now she found herself once again at the gates, and she kept her shoulder back and her head high because she refused to submit to these people.

She felt disgusting, her hair was now a tangled matt after her dive in the river and days of travelling whilst sleeping on the ground, her cloths were sticking to her sweat soaked skin, and the heat was only made more intense with mosquitos sucking her blood and buzzing annoyingly in her ear.

Overall, she felt muddy, sticky, sweaty and disgusting, and she was livid still about having been dragged here after she had saved that princess.

Still, despite all this, Rin had her dignity, and she kept her composure though she wanted to rage against her captors and that princess. Rin wasn't going to do that though, she couldn't, not now that they were at the gates of Higurashi shiro, and she frowned as they walked in the gates. The shiro was large, very vast and the guard greeted Hōjō as if he were the emperor himself, which further infuriated her, because she wanted to kick his sorry ass. Not that she could, but the desire to do so was almost a physical ache in her mind. Hōjō was the one to drag her into the shiro, which had her stumbling as she fell to her knees.

"Get up, we must meet with Higurashi-tono," Hōjō said as he pulled her along. Rin barely made it to her feet when she was hurried through the castle. Soon enough she found herself in a massive room and thrown to her knees before Hōjō went onto his own knees beside her. Rin sat up, ramrod straight, she would not bow, she kept her face passive; there would be no signs from her about her thoughts or emotions or her fears about being dragged into this situation. Rin didn't think she had the ability to fear left in her, but she was at about her wits end at this moment.

There was some sound and soon a large man walked in, he didn't look anything like her father, but she was surprised. The man paused when his eyes met hers before Hōjō pushed her head down to the floor, she hissed when her brow hit the tatami mats.

"What is the meaning of this, Hōjō?" the shōgun asked as she kept herself lowered, Rin wanted to tear out Hōjō's throat for this humiliation, but she didn't.

"Higurashi-tono, I have brought this villager to you because I have a plan to save Kagome-hime from the monster, Sesshōmaru-sama," he announced.

And a cold chill fully ran down her spine as Rin released a breath she was holding.

Even a village peasant like she had heard of the inu daiyōkai Sesshōmaru-sama, and she knew that now she was a lamb to the slaughter, there would be no mercy for her, she would die in the place of that princess and no one in her family would be any the wiser as to why she was sacrificed. Rin wanted to scream and rage at them, but she didn't; she couldn't, all she had left was her dignity and she would keep that at all costs.

"You think you could…" the shōgun started when Hōjō yanked her upright, his hand fisted in her hair, holding her face up for the shōgun to see.

"I think he will be none the wiser," Hōjō murmured desperately.

The shōgun blinked at the sight of her face and she kept her gaze steady. "Who are you?"

"Rin," she answered as she shoved Hōjō off her and got to her feet when the shōgun neared her. The man seemed confounded at the sight of her. "I am a farmer of your southern borders," she informed him sharply.

"I see, you are…"

"I wish to go home," she said sharply.

"No," he shook his head catching her jaw and looking her face over with more scrutiny than Hōjō had expressed. "No, you will not go home, you will be prepared for a wedding, your groom comes for you in three days, the attendants will see to the rituals and your grooming."

"I refuse!" she snapped.

"You will do this!" Hōjō informed her. "Or I will aid Higurashi-tono in going back to your village and killing every single one of those nephews and niece of yours, then your brothers' wives, then your brother and finally your father," Hōjō warned her. It felt like her blood turned to ice as she glanced at the kind man who now looked like a madman. They would do this, they would kill her family, an innocent, and she would be forced to watch, and there would be nothing she could do to stop them. Or she could marry Sesshōmaru-sama and die at his claws before he slaughtered them all for their attempted deciete. At least death at Sesshōmaru-sama's claws meant her captors wouldn't get away with her death.

"I will personally execute them if you do not do this, and you will watch," the shōgun warned her. "Prepare the bride of Sesshōmaru-sama, there is a wedding to prepare for!"

"Higurashi-tono!" Hōjō shouted as he ran after the shōgun and Rin was dragged off by attendants, the women kept firm grips on Rin even as she struggled.

"Unhand me!" she spat out finally knocking one of the women off her. "I will walk myself," she seethed as she followed them.

* * *

Sesshōmaru landed on the outskirts of a human village, his nose did not lie, there was a hanyō here. There was a pack of pups playing in the field and he held up a hand for Tsukuyomaru to not move. Scenting the air Sesshōmaru watched the pups as they played. Suddenly one of the larger pup's hood fluttered off revealing the mark of a daiyōkai, her silvery hair fluttered in the air as she skidded to a halt.

"Shiori!" Tsukuyomaru shouted taking from the trees, his wings stretching with a great flap he cleared the clearing to snatch up his pup. Sesshōmaru saw the pups scream in terror now, and he stepped out of the woods just as Tsukuyomaru landed beside him again, his nose running over his pup.

"Chichi-ue!" the pup squealed. "I knew you'd come! I knew you'd find us!"

"Where's your mother Shiori?" Tsukuyomaru demanded as he looked at the pup. Now Sesshōmaru assessed the pup, silver hair, violet eyes, human ears, remarkably tanned skin, and an ethereal beauty, the pup looked more like a daiyōkai than a human. If not for the human ears he'd have thought her a daiyōkai pup, she radiated such power.

"Haha-ue went to the village today with Rin-san's brothers to find Rin-san, but she hasn't come back," Shiori said. "These are my friends!" she announced squirming from her father's grasp and dragging him along with her into the field. Sesshōmaru watched with mild interest as he followed; curiosity was a damning trait of an inu after all.

"Shiori!" a little human pup hissed appearing from behind a hut.

"Nanami-chan! This is my chichi-ue!" Shiori giggled.

"He's a yōkai," the little girl paled.

"Hai, but he's nice!" Shiori giggled.

"Oh," the little pup blinked and then looked at Sesshōmaru. Sesshōmaru stared balefully back, the pup gulped and looked away, trotting over to her friend instead.

"Maybe Chichi-ue can find Haha-ue and Rin-san?" Shiori giggled innocently.

Sesshōmaru's nose twitched when he scented smoke and fire, he heard Tsukuyomaru tense beside him as they both heard the screams and horses. Tsukuyomaru looked at him and he looked at the pups, Sesshōmaru didn't care about humans but he wasn't a complete monster that killed pups. Before anyone could react though there a breaking in the ground as a giant female centipede came surging into to the air.

" ** _The Jewel! The Jewel! It was here! WHERE IS IT! I MUST HAVE IT!_** " the beast shrieked as it swung it head on one of the pups. Sesshōmaru caught it by the throat as he let the poison seep from his claws and melt the beast.

"Shizu!" Tsukuyomaru shouted as he leapt into the air. Sesshōmaru looked at the pups who all surounded his legs.

"Get away!" he hissed when a pudgy hand went to touch his mokomoko.

"You saved us," the pups whispered.

He growled as he walked back for the forest, they scurried after him much to his annoyance, so he took to the trees and remained near where the pups' sires would find them. He was not letting them stay with him!

* * *

Finally bathed and somewhat presentable Rin found herself dressed in a yukata, and her hair neatly dragged back and meticulously combed. Now that that was over Rin just wanted to go home but found herself being escorted through the shiro. She was a bit annoyed with that, but she found it best to look around, to learn her surroundings rather than have them be unknown to her. It was best to escape if she knew the weak points; she had hunted enough with her brothers to know that animals always escaped when they knew or found the weak points of any group. Eventually she found herself in a large dining hall, she glared at the occupents but kept her head down a bit.

In the room was Hōjō and Kagome, as well as another woman who looked exactly like Kagome and a creepy man seated beside Higurashi-tono.

"Do you know why we've brought you're here girl?"

"I can surmise that this is a lecture about my place and serving the greater good, mainly your daughters' and their futures, and how that will protect my family in turn by doing the same," Rin guessed.

"Though the resemblance is stunning she would do well to learn to hold her tongue," the creepy man growled.

"My place is prisoner," she snapped. "And seeing as how I am likely to die either way I will speak my mind if only to irritate you ignorant souls."

"That is no way to speak to your shōgun! You should have more respect, onna!" the creep barked.

"As I am a prisoner, I will address him how I please," she retorted.

"Enough!" the shōgun bellowed and she raised her head as she kept her hands firmly clasped before her. "I cannot discipline you as I would please because in three days' time you must be pristine. Tomorrow my daughter, Kikyō-hime will begin aiding you in purifying yourself for your wedding."

"What will you do when Sesshōmaru-sama realizes you have presented him with a false bride?" Rin asked.

"By then the Shiko no Tama will be far away," he stated. "And you will either be dead or yearning for death."

"I see, then why should I go through the purification for a wedding which is not my own to a daiyōkai who is going to kill us all for this deceit?" she asked icily.

"Because if you do not, I will burn your village to the ground and force you to watch," he growled. "By the time he has noticed he is possession of the wrong bride he will not be able to react or do anything untowards to us because we will have moved the Shikon no Tama, which is all he wants."

* * *

Sesshōmaru sat in a tree to evade the grubby hands of the human pups below, any of his attempts to leave now that the threat was gone was greeted with hysterics and pups clinging to him, he had thought it best to outwait them until the adults returned because adult humans would manage these pups better, and he could leave. He had three days to walk to his wedding ceremony. He would meet Jaken and A-Un along the way, because he would not have a large party attending his wedding. Not this sham of a marriage.

Another tired sigh escaped his lips as the sun was setting.

"They should be here by now," the hyakkikoumori muttered as they watched the pups cautiously playing. There was a sudden scent wafting over the winds and he looked up to see a party of eight humans walking towards the pups.

Tsukuyomaru looked over and smiled.

"Anata!" the daiyōkai bellowed and leapt from the tree. Sesshōmaru heard the pups correlating cries of glee and he took that moment to leave.

Streaking through the dying day he landed in a field a long ways off and took a deep breath of relief before he started walking.


	8. Chapter 7

It had been a few days since the human village and now Sesshōmaru stood in the sweltering heat of the day and looked around at where he would be meeting his bride. He had no idea what he was going to do with a human onna, but he didn't dwell on it, she would be alive a handful of decades, his father and brother would have the Shikon no Tama like they wanted and in a few decades he'd be free of the onna again. It was unlikely he'd kill her outright, his father had ordered him against such an action. Even if he should desire to kill her, he couldn't go against his alpha. And her human life was too short to actually mean anything to him.

And he was bored here in the mortal realm, there was no grand fight to be had or duties to carry out, his father had not even graced this wedding with his presence. Sesshōmaru was attending this wedding with no family or friends, merely A-Un and his retainer; Jaken; who had yet to be silent.

Still, he looked at the wedding precession present as he approached.

His bride stood tall, despite her small stature, and though her face was hidden he did not scent fear from her. The shift in the wind had moved the party of humans' scent down wind and he had clean scenting access to his bride, her scent held no fear.

Instead she smelled rather appealing to him, which was startling.

Humans had always smelled disgusting to him, of sweat, grime, disease, and worse, sex or shit.

The onna stood there calm, her scent untainted by her emotions, and it was clean, the floral scent she had been bathed in was washed off in the wind, letting him scent her natural scent or her environmental scent; rain and forest were her natural scent, there were faint traces of peach blossoms and very minute traces of honey; which had his mouth watering. He had always had a fondness for peaches and honey.

He was a bit startled as he drew nearer to the precession at how small his bride appeared. She was so slight and petite; he'd have thought her a pup if she did not scent of full-grown female. He half expected the wind to carry her away with how small she was. Her red lips were all that was visible to him, and they were drawn in a straight line, she did not smile nor did she frown as he neared, he expected her to be in tears or hysterics as all other humans would be, but she did not break.

Jaken was speaking to the humans, rather noisily and he tuned it out as he listened to his bride's heart, it was slow and steady, even and well-paced. She was completely calm, for some reason it was resonating with his inner yōkai she was unafraid and completely calm, it was both a curiosity and nuisance he wanted to figure out.

Sesshōmaru lifted his hand when it was time to escort his bride to the temple where the ceremony would take place and now, she reacted.

Those crimson lips slowly curved into a sad smile but still there was no fear, even as she hesitated to lift her hand to his. When her dainty hand slid into his he was stunned to feel the harsh callouses of labor; no lady of breeding he knew had them.

Quickly before she could escape, he closed his claws around her hand and saw her still smiling, no hint of fear in her scent, merely sadness and a wistful emotion he knew from his mother.

"Why are you smiling?" he asked her softly. This was not his bride, he was tempted to tear her heart out and dump her body at the feet of this shōgun; but there was still no trace of fear in her scent which had him hesitating.

She chuckled softly and finally her head tilted back enough that her tiger stone eyes looked up at him without any traces of fear or hysterics.

For an onna she seemed rather sane, Sesshōmaru had not met or dealt with many sane females; yōkai or human and was stunned to see that she was just content.

"Why should I not smile, my lord?" she asked, her voice was calm, like a steady flowing creek or a gentle breeze; it was almost melodic. Almost. She was still human and there was a small sound he could not figure out about her voice and tone.

Sesshōmaru's claws tightened on her hand dangerously as he stepped nearer to her, she didn't back down but rather smiled kindly and broadly.

"Shall we proceed?" the shōgun interrupted, which had him nodding slowly.

He knew this was not his bride, but she seemed far superior to whomever the shōgun's actual daughter was. Finally, being so near the onna he could scent her blood and scented no relation to the shōgun, but he could not find it in him to care, she seemed so interesting.

She walked with him, in time, despite her uchikake, she kept pace with him, and she never faltered, he kept a firm grip on the onna so she didn't run, instead she tightened her grip on his hand when they climbed the stairs to the temple.

For a change binding his life to a human didn't seem as daunting, he was rather curious about this onna and who she was. Who was the onna who dared to attempt to deceive him? She trembled a bit when they reached the temple, and he scented her sweat and heavy heart; perhaps she was overheating? He wondered about this as she knelt beside him, and fidgeted to get comfortable.

She was not of noble blood whoever she was.

* * *

Three days in this shiro and Rin was exhausted, weak, and feeling faint, she didn't know how she had survived the actual wedding ceremony or how she had gotten here sitting beside her 'husband' now.

Sesshōmaru-sama was very handsome, and she couldn't figure him out. Sitting beside him she had refused to openly examine the daiyōkai, no doubt he had already examined her and knew she was not his true bride. And yet he had not killed her, that was the part Rin could not figure out.

There was no doubt that Sesshōmaru-sama knew, Rin had known it the moment she had put her hand in his. She had farmers callouses from working the fields, from handling tools from living and working a hard life. She knew that she had to smell of it too, the scent was probably so deeply seeped into her it was a part of her. And yet, Sesshōmaru-sama had not slain her where she stood like she expected him to. No, now they sat here, at a banquet for him and her, as the shōgun played doting father, and the guests mistook her for Kagome-hime, and it was all surreal. There was no way he did not know, so why had he proceeded with the wedding? Rin could not figure it out and watched her 'husband' from her peripheral vision.

The dinner was finally brought to them and she noted he turned it away even as her dinner was placed before her. She reached to eat, quietly as the merriment continued.

After she had eaten her fill, which was rather meager in comparison to her portion, Sesshōmaru had announced they were turning in; the men cheered, and she accepted Sesshōmaru's aid in getting up. Her legs were falling asleep. When she tripped in the hall he picked her up and with a blinding speed she hadn't expected she found herself outside with her hands pinned over her head and pressed against a tree.

She gasped as the tsunokakushi she'd been forced to wear fell off her head and she found herself staring in the red eyes of a daiyōkai.

"Who are you?" he growled lowly.

"I am…"

"Before you lie, human, know you cannot," he warned in the same, soft icy voice he had been using all night.

"I am called Rin," she answered honestly.

His eyes were beautiful, she decided, and it was a beautiful death, it was one far better than she was likely to receive from her own life.

"You are not the hime," he stated.

"No, I am not," she agreed.

"Why are you here then?"

"The princess and her prince decided I could look the part, the shōgun agreed, they didn't want their precious princess to marry a daiyōkai," she stated simply. Three days of tutoring from Kikyō-hime on manners had finally come unravelling in her mind as she stared at him.

Sesshōmaru released her wrists but didn't step back. She lowered her arms to rub her throbbing wrists, they would bruise more than they had been, she mused bitterly.

"Why did you…?" he started.

"I did not volunteer to do this," she stated. "Kill me if you must but know I had no willing part of the deception."

"And yet you are here," he pointed out.

"Hai. I am. But the shōgun and prince were going to kill my family if I did not do this," she stated. "The were going to kill an old farmer, three innocent men, their wives and eviscerate their children, innocent children, if I did not agree to this. But I will admit fault for attempting to deceive you, and for that I apologize, but I did not and do not possess a choice in the matter that is blood free."

Her hair finally escaped the formal topknot it had been forced into and she felt it tumble free and loose, she saw the daiyōkai's eyes flash heatedly and she lifted her hand to drag the tangle hair pins free.

"If you wish to kill me for my role in this deception I just ask if I may leave a post for my family, they must be terribly worried about me." She said as she finally finished fishing out the hairpins and clasped her hands before her.

Sesshōmaru assessed her again.

"I will not kill you," he decided.

"Arigato," she bowed to him now.

"You are mine," he growled lowly, possessively, and dangerously.

"Hai," she agreed.

Suddenly he was looming over her again, his hand gripped her chin and forced her to look up at him.

"You will obey me, tomorrow we will travel, you may post your family," he decided.

She nodded as she lowered her eyes and noticed his mouth. For the first time in her life she wondered what it'd be like to kiss a boy, she had never wondered that before. Her eyes flicked up to his again and saw him staring at her with an indecipherable look.

"My lord?"

He frowned.

"What do you intend to do with me?" she whispered softly.

"I have not decided yet," he stated. "But I will not kill you," he stated as he released her she blinked and he was gone. Now she noticed she was in the Higurashi gardens near her quarters. Sighing she stumbled to the room that she had been assigned for this wedding night and stripped her layers off, dropping them as she walked for the futon.

Collapsing she sighed as she lay there on her stomach nearly naked.

Good Kami, how had she survived that!?

A startled gasp escaped her when a silver veil of hair fell around her and a heavy fur landed beside her, and she glanced over her shoulder to see her husband's eyes flashing between red and honey as he loomed over her, his nose near her throat.

"My lord?"

"What have you done mortal?" he growled lowly.

She didn't know what to do now as she stared at the daiyōkai who had her caged with his long limbs and seemed to be hyper focused on something around her neck. She couldn't move, her heart was pounding so loudly in her ears it was deafening, what should she do!? He was so close!?


	9. Chapter 8

Sesshōmaru had barely left his bride when that scent hit him, the scent of a bitch in heat. Yōkai instincts had had him hunting the bitch down and he had found his mortal bride steeped in the mouthwatering scent.

The scent had been concealed to her underwear, wrapped beneath careful layers of her uchikake, and hidden by the heavy perfumes they had dosed his bride in. Now though, he was struggling as he loomed over his bride who was eyeing him warily over her shoulder, her hands fisted in the futon beneath her. Inhaling he scented her skin, tasting her natural flavor and the difference between her and the scent drenching her body through her under garments. The human was fertile, he could smell that, but her scent wasn't this…

This scent was a scent specific to drive a yōkai insane; and combined with Rin's already naturally appealing scent…

"My lord?" a small voice asked.

"What have you done mortal?" he growled as he gripped her futon and struggled not to lunge down and just take her. His claws were tearing the material, and he could feel his control suffering.

"Nani?" she whispered, there was still no fear in her voice, but he could hear her unease and her worry.

"This scent!" he growled, trying not to breath through his nose, focusing on breathing through his mouth. Which was not helping because he could all but taste the peaches and honey that seemed to be naturally infused with her scent. Would her skin taste like that? He didn't know, but he wanted to find out.

"My lord? They dressed me, I don't know what you're talking about," she whispered, and he felt her carefully turning beneath him, which did help a little. Though not a lot as his eyes raked over her face and he was struggling not to lunge at her. Sesshōmaru was not his father, he took no joy in just taking what he wanted. Any male could do that, he was not any male. He refused to do this… scent or not.

His bride was very still, and he was struggling not to just lean down and take what was driving him insane this moment.

"Your scent is that of a bitch in heat," he attempted to explain; though he was not certain how much of that came out intelligibly as he was fighting his inner yōkai and clenching his fangs so he didn't just react. He was not his father. This human was not a bitch to be claimed, she was an unwilling bride; he was not a mindless brute!

"What do you need me to do?" she asked calmly. He wanted to just take what he was scenting. Good Kami, he had not smelled anything this divine since the last mating season, she smelled so delectable, he wanted it. She was so small, her hips were wide though, and good Kami she looked like the perfect bitch, he wanted… no, no he was not his father! He refused to be like his father in this regard. He was more than his inner yōkai demanded.

"Move very slowly, go to the bathing hall, I will be there with clean cloths," he ordered carefully. "Do not run, for the love of kami do not run!" He hissed between clenched fangs as he attempted to remove himself from her. Rin carefully maneuvered herself out from under him, scooting off the futon and walked towards the fusuma that would have her escaping into the hall.

The moment she was gone he collapsed on the futon and groaned as he struggled to reorient himself. Now that he was alone, he lay on her futon gasping for air, and clawing at the quilt for that scent. Getting up he prowled around the room at her discarded robes. The outer most layers were not seeped in the scent, but the inner layers, they were drenched, it smelled like a yōkai bitch in heat, and more, herbs, Sesshōmaru frowned. Only way the humans would've known that was if a daiyōkai had informed them of this concoction.

Disposing of the robes before he did something as shameful as rutting with them; he went to his saddlebag and grabbed a spare yukata of his for the girl. If she were dressed in something, he knew wasn't tampered with then he wouldn't have difficulty controlling himself. Sesshōmaru followed the overly ripe scent, which was just begging for him to take her, and found the bathhouse. His bride had left her garments outside, which had him dissolving them in acid before walking into the bathhouse. Now the scent of overripe, fertile, bitch in heat was overwhelming and he just about lost it. She was naked and washing herself.

"Get out!" he barked. Her head snapped over to him as her wide doe eyes stared at him, and he could see the delicate female in all her glory.

Good Kami she was temptation… and this scent was not helping his control.

"Sesshōmaru-sama?" she whispered.

"Get out, move slow," he ordered in a harsh tone. Sesshōmaru kept his claws digging into his own palm as she moved slowly and climbed out of the water. For a human she was perfection, of that he had no doubt. Willowy figure, a bit too thin for his tastes, wide hips, thick thighs, strong calves, smooth toned stomach small breasts, delicate collar bones he could see. Good Kami, she was just the sort of perfection he enjoyed when he took a lover.

Slowly she walked over to him, wrapping her arms around her breasts, a move he was both sorely thankful for and disappointed for. When she came to stand before him he scented her unease as she assessed him. Grabbing her by the knees and shoulders he ran from the bath house, enveloping them in energy as he tore through the skies towards the hot springs untainted by the scents these humans were trying to dose this small human in.

If this human was not careful, she would find herself an irresistible aphrodisiac to him and he did not relish the thought of just taking her. Unceremoniously he dumped her in the hot spring which had her sputtering as she came back to the surface gasping for air.

"WHAT THE HELL!?" she roared as she moved her hair from her face.

"Bath," he ordered.

"I was! Before you dragged me naked to a hot spring!" she snapped.

"The humans who held you captive are attempting to turn you into an aphrodisiac," he snapped.

"Nani?" she sputtered.

"Specifically designed for me, now bathe," he ordered. Taking a seat at the knotted roots of a tree he released a breath he hadn't known he was holding.

* * *

Rin was stunned as she stared at her husband and attempted to figure him out while she washed her skin in the too hot water. Finally, she moved to get out of the water when his magenta lids snapped open to reveal his gold eyes.

"I…" she started.

"Wear this," he ordered producing some material. Getting out she reached for the material and was stunned to see a fine yukata. It was obviously his, she noted as she pulled it on, the material clung to her wet skin almost painfully as she arranged the garment to be comfortable. Twisting her long, wet mass of hair up and tying it in a knot, she picked up a smooth twig to stab it in place. Before her husband handed her an obi which she wrapped around her and tied in a simple knot.

"Better?" she asked.

"Fertile, but not tempting," he breathed as he rubbed the bridge of his nose and sat again. Rin nodded as she shivered a bit.

"What exactly happened, Sesshōmaru-sama?" she asked as she rubbed her arms a bit and walked over to stand before him. He cracked a gold eye open as he assessed her.

"What are you, mortal?"

"Until about seven days ago I was a healer and a farmer's daughter of no importance to the shōgun or the court," she said.

"A healer?"

"Hai, a healer, I learned herbs to aid my mother when she was ailing, the local physician and surgeon was my teacher, then the miko taught me, eventually I just became a healer," she admitted.

Her husband assessed her with interest then but didn't respond.

"What exactly did they do to me, Sesshōmaru-sama?" she asked.

"Every daiyōkai has a particular scent they prefer, natural or not, and someone informed the humans of mind and you had been doused in it," he said. "Combined with the fertile state you are in you scented of a daiyōkai bitch in extreme heat," he finished.

"What scent?"

His eyes narrowed suspiciously on her.

"If I know what scent upset you so badly I can ensure that I do not get drenched in it again and we don't come running through the forest, with me naked to the nearest untainted water source you can think of or worse, have you actually rape me against both our wills," she explained. "As a healer I am well versed in plants so I can learn what to look out for or to avoid."

"It's a scent," he stated.

"Mmm, what scent?"

"You won't be able to avoid it," he stated firmly.

"Very well, then we will just have to figure out how to not turn me into a walking bitch in heat scent," she sighed. This was a very bizarre situation she found herself in, and to be honest she didn't know how to avoid it. There had been nothing unusual about what the women had given her for soaps, they were peach scented soaps, she happened to be particularly fond of that scent. She even made her own, though hers were honey and peach…

Rin paused at the thought and looked at her husband who was steadying his breaths and seemed to be in a meditative state.

"My lord?"

"Hm?"

"Are you particularly fond of the scent of peaches?" she asked carefully. A magenta lid opened slightly as a gold eye assessed her carefully before he moved to sit upright fully. "I see," she nodded.

He didn't respond as he arched a brow.

"Well, I can assure you that I will not be drenched in the scent as they had, but I do make my own soaps I can change the peach scent to something else if that will help," she offered.

"Nani?"

"Peaches are the only flower that they drenched me in, to be honest I thought it strange that there were so many peach blossoms or peach themed scents, Kagome-hime did not seem like a peach sort of onna, but I am never one to judge or speak to another's preferences. I did think that the amount though was a bit unusual, though I did not think to question it as I was captive and I so desperately wanted a bath," she admitted. "Sleeping in the mud after diving into a river does leave one grimy and gross. But if peaches are the problem scent then I will find a substitute for my soaps," she offered.

"That is unnecessary," he said levelly.

"I do not mind, my lord, if it will help us avoid another bizarre encounter," she promised. "I am just as fond of other scents, and I am certain that it is a relief if you do not have to worry about it as well."

"It is unnecessary because you will not be dumped in a vat of peaches again," he stated.

"Very well," she nodded. "Still, if you change your mind, tell me and I will be happy to make the change," she informed him.

"You are a strange mortal," he decided softly.

"Hai, I know, I get that a lot," she sighed. "Not usually the strange mortal but normally a strange onna," she waved her hand and closed her eyes. Strange, bizarre Rin, naturally she would find herself in the oddest of situations, and even married to a daiyōkai.

* * *

Sesshōmaru watched his wife as she drifted off to sleep and eventually slumped against his shoulder. He didn't mention that her natural fertile scent was still a temptation, but it wasn't as intense. Sesshōmaru wasn't going to harm the onna now. Slowly he stood as the moon drifted over them and picked her up. Returning to the shiro he was uncomfortable putting her in the rooms that had been her prison and decided to take her to where his quarters were. Once there he shut the humans out and looked at his bride on his futon.

It was still so tempting to just take the mortal, but he refused to become like his father, he refused to just take whatever he pleased from the mortal.

Sitting beside her, he pondered what he was supposed to do now, knowing the decete and their attempts to have him rape the mortal with knowledge only his pack would possess. Someone in his pack had arranged this, but why?

Sesshōmaru could foresee his father doing something like this, but it would also be easier just to order him to take his bride. InuYasha was utterly useless and he doubted the halfwit could even orchestrate something this elaborate. Sesshōmaru also did not think it could've been Iya or Kochi, as neither of them were aware of his predilection for peaches. The females he had rutted with or had affairs with were always quiet and discreet so no one in the pack could know. He sighed; most likely this was his father's doing; but why was something escaping Sesshōmaru.

Rin was is bride, so she was his responsibility and he did not harm or threaten those who were his responsibility. He was not his father.

Carefully he reached down and slid the twig out of her hair and untied the mass. Her hair was unbelievably thick and long for a human, it fell past her waist. She hummed a bit when his claws slid through her hair and he watched her shift a bit. Her natural submission pleased him when she bore her throat for him, a sign of trust, even in sleep, it pleased his inner alpha immensely to know he had her trust in such a manner. He was more pleased that she did not know her submission was not a sign of fear or weakness.

Surprisingly, all this day had shown him was that his mortal bride was anything but fearful or weak. It was immensely pleasing to know that he was at least with an onna of character and backbone rather than a spineless bitch always in heat.

Rin grumbled in her sleep as she rolled over and threw an arm over his waist and pressing her face into his hip as she molded her small body along his outstretched leg. He grimaced when her natural scent hit him with the yukata parting as her creamy leg wrapped around his own.

She did smell like she was in heat, and it was a delicious scent he wanted to bury himself in, but it was no longer overwhelming.


	10. Chapter 9

Her hair was heavily piled up as the maids dictated, and it was itchy. Rin hated it, she also found she had difficulty breathing with how tight they had tied her obi, also it was hot, miserably, muggy hot; it was so humid it was like she was never dry! But she grinned and bore it as she let them style her up, faking their joy over Kagome-hime's union to the daiyōkai. Sesshōmaru wasn't fooled, she knew that, he had known she wasn't his bride the moment her hand was in his.

"Must you take my daughter!?" the shōgun balked.

"We must be on our way," Sesshōmaru answered as she walked into the grand hall. The shōgun was feigning sorrow over losing his 'daughter', which nearly sickened Rin. Looking up as Sesshōmaru approached her she didn't flinch under his intense gaze.

"Let's be off," he ordered in his cold, soft tone.

"Hai my lord," she bowed her head as she stepped out of his path. He moved softly, quietly, she hurried after him before the shōgun could say anything. Rin made it to the stables before she leaned on a post gasping for air. The daiyōkai paused as she held herself up.

"Gomen," she gasped as she rubbed her sore middle. No doubt it was going to be bruised when she removed the obi.

Sesshōmaru said nothing as he collected his steed, she was stunned at the sight of a two headed dragon.

"Are you educated in riding?" he asked.

"No," she shook her head. He grabbed her by her hips before dropping her on the saddle.

"Grip here," he ordered softly as he tangled her fingers in the mane. "Hold this tightly, direct the heads as one, two reigns, but one dragon," he stated.

She nodded as she accepted that.

"I will instruct you further when we are away," he said softly.

She nodded again before he motioned for his steed to follow. Rin nearly yelped feeling the coiling and rippling of the massive, heavy body beneath her moving slowly. The limbs seemed heavy, but the dragon was nimble, and before she knew it they were off, he slapped the rear of the steed which took to the skies. She bit back her squeal as she tightened her grip, Sesshōmaru appeared beside her, at ease and indifferent.

It was after a while that she relaxed before he seemed to land, the dragon followed, Rin grunted at the changes when they landed before he caught her and set her on her feet.

"Arigato," she gasped as she gripped his arms to keep herself upright, her breath wouldn't catch and there were black spots dancing before her eyes.

"Rin?" his tone was soft, cold, yet there was an inquiry there.

"I… obi, loosen it!" she gasped.

Sesshōmaru was swift and before she knew it she was gasping as she leaned against a tree, taking deep, evening breathes, her head fell back as she felt herself relaxing.

"Arigato," she breathed as she rubbed her ribs carefully.

Sesshōmaru was examining the obi rather curiously, before his eyes landed on her.

"I think the maids were trying to kill me, tiny waistlines are all the fashion," she rolled her eyes with a soft smile.

Sesshōmaru frowned.

"'Tis a joke, my lord," she said as she held out her hand to take back the obi and redo it.

"I do not see the humor," he stated.

"Naturally," she chuckled as she shucked the outer kimono.

"Nani?" he snarled.

"You are male, therefore you cannot understand the pains of conforming to fashionable tastes," she said as she rolled up her sleeves and bent over to take care of the too long hem. Kagome was a bit taller than herself, and bustier. However, Rin's hips were her asset, which she knew well. Standing upright she saw her husband giving her a bland creature.

"I do not see humor in being unable to breath," he stated.

"I do not, but I find it better to be in good humor about a situation rather than dower," she chuckled. Reaching up she yanked out all the hair pins, letting them clatter around her as she unwound her heavy hair. Sesshōmaru came over and started aiding her. His claws were a wonderful asset for untangling it, until it fell loose and free.

"When may I send post to my family?" Rin asked him as she swept the mass over her shoulder and started braiding it. It wasn't the fashionable, or acceptable style, but it was too hot for her to leave it down.

"I will return you to them for the time being," he answered. He shoved her hands aside as he took over the task, she was stunned as she stood utterly still, barely breathing. Sesshōmaru's fingers were swift and nimble, and before she knew it he had reached the end and looked around.

"Just hold it for the moment," she said as she crouched down and looked through her discarded hairpins. Finding what she was seeking she picked up a bit of ribbon before offering it to him. Sesshōmaru tied her hair swiftly, which had her taking the end and twisting it swiftly into a knot before stabbing it with two hair pins. "There," she sighed.

He nodded.

"My lord," she said as she picked up the discarded hair pins to put them into the pack. "Might I ask you something?"

He didn't answer but inclined his head ever so slightly so she took that to mean she should continue.

"Why did you proceed with the union, when it is obvious, I am not your bride?" she asked as she looked him over. Folding the heavy silk kimono, she waited.

"You did not scent of fear," he answered.

"I was terrified."

"Not of me," he answered. "I could not understand you," he stated. "Even now you express no fear of me."

"I see," she nodded thoughtfully. "Well, I suppose you deserve to know I do not fear death, and I do not judge off reputations," she stated as she shoved the kimono into a saddlebag.

Sesshōmaru cocked his head at her reply.

"Death is an inevitable part of the cycle of life, we all come to an end just as we all start with a beginning. To fear what I have no control over seems like a waste of time and energy, as well as creating unnecessary stress. Either I live or I die, but I will not live a life in fear," she explained. "As to judging reputations… a reputation is composed of other's perspectives, and while it may possess fact based off action, I will reserve my judgement for when I know the person."

"Dangerous philosophy," he replied darkly.

"But it's worked out well so far," she shrugged as she finally kicked off her shoes and disposed of the socks. "However, this does not explain why you would wed the false bride."

"None but my mother gazed upon me without fear," he answered. "You are a curiosity, Rin," he decided.

"You decided to marry me, knowing I was the false bride, I'd think that'd make you the curiosity, my lord," she retorted.

He frowned.

"My village is that way, south east," she answered. "It will take a bit," she sighed. "You are free to remain with us, my lord," she informed him.

"That is bold," he drawled out.

"I would rather offer now than never," she answered.

He nodded. "We will fly, arrive there sooner rather than later," he decided coldly.

"I…" she floundered as she looked the dragon. "Does he have a name?" she surrendered to her fate, she would have to learn how to fly or die apparently.

"A and Un," he said, gesturing to each head.

"Lovely to meet them," she nodded.

He nodded as he picked her up and set her on the saddle. It was swift, how he worked to adjust the saddle, he slipped her feet into the stirrups and adjusted, once he was satisfied, he handed her the reigns and nodded. Slapping the rear of A-Un they took to the skies, he followed, and she gasped as she held on a bit tighter, she felt surer with her legs straddling the beast. But at the same time, she felt so much more terrified.

Sesshōmaru kept an eye on her as they flew low over the trees.

A laugh escaped her as they sped along, it felt liberating and freeing despite the exhilarating terror!

* * *

Sesshōmaru watched his bride with interest as she laughed and held onto A-Un tightly. She was interesting, uncomplicated of fears and worries that most would have in his presence. It was… nice. Strange that she would take such liberties with him but nice all the same. Sesshōmaru kept pace with A-Un as they flew south east, he scented peaches on the air and knew they were nearing her home. It wasn't difficult to find.

"Oh! It's so lovely up here," Rin giggled. "I feel like a bird!" she laughed.

He said nothing as he watched her.

He could grow accustomed to his bride, he supposed.

* * *

Rin was shocked at how swiftly a few days journey was mere hours by flight as Sesshōmaru guided them down. He helped her off the dragon when her, the farm was in smoldering ashes, which had her frantically looking around.

"Ken'ichi! Yasu! Tomomi!" she shouted her brothers names as she looked around at the ashes. Whatever had happened, had happened a few days ago. "Dad!" she shouted as she looked around, gathering up the material in her hands as she started walking through the ruins. This wasn't good, fear was starting to swell in her, fear for her niece and nephews.

"Rin," Sesshōmaru called for her.

"No, I have to find them!" she shouted as she hurried down the hill. "Dad!" she shouted again.

"Rin!" Sesshōmaru shouted.

"No!" she screamed as she made it to the smoldering pile of ruin that had been their home. "No! No! I did… I did what he asked!" she gasped.

Hands caught her waist and spun her into a hard chest, hands tangled in her loose hair that was escaping the braid.

"I did what the shōgun asked! I did it!" she whispered.

"Rin?" a new voice called out, hesitant, soft, scared.

"Dad!" she shouted a sshe yanked herself from Sesshōmaru to run for that voice, she found him standing outside the ruins and a ragged sob escaped her as she threw her arms around him and felt her father envelope her in a heavy hug.

"I thought you…" he started.

"I did what the shōgun asked, I did it," she sobbed hysterically as she hugged him tightly.

"I… Rin," her father pulled them apart, cupping her face as he examined her. She smiled meekly as his thumbs wiped her tears away like he had done when she had been a child.

"I did what he asked," she whispered.

"Oh, child," he sighed.

"Where are Ken'ichi, Yasu, Tomomi?" she asked looking around.

"In the village, we only just got the fires out," her father answered.

"Are they?"

"They and their families are good," her father answered. "We were so worried about you, where were you? Shizu said…"

"I was taken by the shōgun's men, they thought I was his daughter," she answered. "I am married now father," she said as she turned to smile at her husband. Sesshōmaru was watching warily from the distance.

"He's… oh, my sweet child," her father whispered as he pulled her closer to him.

"He's Sesshōmaru-sama, he's been very kind to me," she promised.

"The shōgun ordered the union?" her father deduced.

"How'd you…?" she started.

"The shōgun was never a kind or brave man," her father answered which had Rin's eyes widening. "What's done is done, I would like to meet my daughter's husband," he said firmly.

"Of course," she nodded as she rose to her feet; she didn't even know she had fallen to her knees until she rose. Walking towards Sesshōmaru with her father at her side she trembled slightly as they neared. Sesshōmaru assessed her and her father.

"I welcome you to our house," her father said with a bow. "Forgive the state of things, yōkai."

"I am aware," he answered.

"So you're the inuyōkai the hyakkikoumori insisted saved our children," her father said.

"You… you were here?" Rin stuttered as she looked at her husband.

"It appears the three of us have much catching up to do," her father sighed. "Thank you for returning my daughter to us."


End file.
